The Mirror
by Gainful
Summary: Set eight years after the events of 'The Keyhole'. After ages of searching, Eli finally finds a job, but this stroke of good news coincides with a series of brilliantly executed crimes that leaves the ZPD scratching their heads. (Unofficial sequel to Elite Shade's 'The Keyhole')
1. Home Sweet Home

**Hello there! So this is my first story on here that I was inspired to write after reading Elite Shade's Zootopia stories. This story serves as a non-canonical sequel to 'The Door' and 'The Keyhole', written with permission from Elite Shade, and it goes without saying that you should read them in that order before reading this to have a better understanding of my story (and because they're just one of the best human in Zootopia stories out** **there!). Anyway, heres hoping you guys enjoy reading this unofficial continuation of those stories, and let me know if you do!**

* * *

"Hmm, interesting..." the female hippopotamus mused as she adjusted her glasses and looked over the document in her hooves. "...Good grades overall, and a particular knack for electronics and mechanics... athletic... good performance in sports... team player... former Ranger Scout..." She took her time flipping through the pages, afterwards looking over her glasses and the folder she was reading to regard the applicant sitting on the chair on the other side of her desk, a young human male twenty one years of age, with dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a light grey suit over a white shirt with a red necktie. The young man sat there with a hopeful expression on his face, eagerly waiting for her opinion.

"Well Mr. Eli Hopps, this is quite the resume you have here. You _almost_ qualify for the position, were it not for one thing..."

"...A-Almost?..." he gulped, his hopeful expression falling into one of dread. This was exactly what he was hoping NOT to hear.

"Yes. We're looking for someone with a tad more experience in the field, however minor. Yet you haven't mentioned having gained any. Have you worked within a technological firm before? Have you at least done any such work privately?"

"Uhh... n-not really."

"Then I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you don't meet the requirements of the company." she paused for a moment before continuing in a gentler tone upon seeing the disappointment on Eli's face. "I'm sorry... I truly am... but I don't make the rules. I merely make the selections based on the company's needs. But perhaps you could look on the bright side: if you can gain some experience beforehand elsewhere, you can try reapplying next time. Theres no restrictions on that."

Eli pondered for a moment, not really looking at the hippo before him, eventually nodding in understanding. "Well, thanks anyway. Sorry for taking up your time." he shook hand & hoof as he stood up, gathering the folder containing his resume before saying goodbye and leaving the employer's office. He glanced at the benches in the waiting room outside, all of them occupied by other candidates, all of whom stared back. Maybe it was because they could tell he hadn't been selected, or maybe it was because of his species. Humans were still a somewhat uncommon sight for some.

He took a deep breath of fresh outside air upon leaving the building's main doors, walking a few steps before he looked back and up at the logo close to the top of the building: 'ZTECH' it said. Eli remembered the first time he had heard the name. Isaac had mentioned it when he had landed a job there many months ago. The coyote that had been Eli's friend since youth was an avid sci-fi fan and had gained an interest in technological studies as a result, eventually graduating as a mechanical engineer and applying for a position at ZTECH back when they had less stringent requirements. The company was a well known producer of many things electronic and mechanical ranging from everyday appliances to vehicle engines, power generators, industrial machinery, etc. It was Isaac who suggested that Eli should apply for a job there, the coyote's tail a wagging blur of excitement at the prospect of having his best friend as a co-worker. Despite being an adult now, he was still just as excitable as his younger self.

Eli sighed and checked his watch. His parents would have been back home from their shift for about an hour now. His mother had said she would make something for supper today when she got back and he didn't want to make her wait, so he headed for the nearest bus stop to make his way home.

Stopping just before opening his door, he paused to think about what he would tell his parents. He hoped they wouldn't be upset. Too many times he had gone out like this only to come back with bad news. Trying to shake the negative thoughts out of his head, he went on in.

Framed pictures, both old and recent, lined the walls of the entrance hallway he was in. They were well organized based on date. Older pictures featuring a young thirteen-year-old Eli newly arrived in Zootopia were on one end. There was a picture of when Nick and Judy snuck Eli out of the hospital in bandages. There was one of him taken on his first day of middle school. There was one of him in Bunnyburrow standing amongst his numerous cousins, uncles, aunts and his maternal grandparents when he had been welcomed into the Hopps family, while a second showed him standing with his paternal grandparents. One showed him in scout uniform when he had received his father's Junior Ranger Scout neckerchief, another depicted the moment of his induction into the Ranger Scouts. The wonderful memories of his happy childhood made him smile.

Getting closer to the other end, they began showing an older Eli, such as a few birthday, Easter, Howl-O-Ween and Christmas pictures at varying ages, an image of him helping his family out with work on the Hopps farm, depictions of different outings with his parents and family, pictures of when he graduated, of when he posed next to a police cruiser with his parents both in police uniform, and even one of him with bruises and a black eye, wearing a surprised expression as he looked at the camera standing next to a uniformed Judy. 'Battle scars' as Nick called them jokingly, the result of a fight with a bully in high school that he ended up winning despite the damage. One particular picture caught his attention: it showed Nick and a seventeen-year-old Eli sitting inside Nick's car. Taken on the day Eli had earned his driver's license, Nick was grinning and giving a thumbs up from the passenger seat while Eli was excitedly waving at the camera from the driver's seat. While not funny in itself, the memory associated with the picture did elicit a chuckle from Eli…

* * *

**Four years ago…**

"Whoa Whoa, easy on the gas there Eli, we're not in the middle of a race!" shouted a panicking Nick clutching onto his passenger seat for dear life as the car swerved along some curved roads in a relatively remote part of Sahara Square. "You're going too fast, hit the brakes!"

Eli, going through his own panic, stepped on the brake pedal a little too hard, bringing the car to an immediate stop… as well as slamming Nick's face into the dashboard ahead. "Oops! S-Sorry about that dad!"

The fox glared at the human teenager, rubbing the bridge of his now aching snout. "Jeez, and I thought your mother's driving was bad!"

Eli sighed, looking embarrassed. " I… I guess I got carried away. I never knew driving could be so much fun… could be so… liberating!"

"Yeah? Well if you keep driving like that, you're gonna end up 'liberating' us of our lives. Sure, its fun, but only if you know how to do it. Now..." Nick began, only to be interrupted as his ears perked up and swiveled in the direction of an all too familiar sound. "…Oh great, just what we needed…"

Eli picked up the sound a moment later. It was the unmistakable sound of a police siren closing in from the direction they came. As expected, a police cruiser pulled up behind them, and a car door could be heard opening and closing, followed by hoofsteps approaching Eli's side window.

"Sir, were you aware of how fast you were going? And the way you were swerving around, you're lucky you didn't…" the officer paused, surprised once he saw the occupants of the vehicle. "Well I'll be… Wilde? Never woulda guessed you'd be the one to be breaking traffic rules. Whats the matter? Not getting enough crap from Bogo as is?" the horse officer laughed as he leaned against the driver's window.

"Very funny Horace. I'm just giving my boy here a driving lesson to prepare him for his test." He patted Eli's upper arm. "Its his first time behind the wheel, he's bound to make a couple mistakes. Give the kid a break."

Horace rubbed his chin, as if considering his options. "Hmm, I don't know… having the chance to slap a big fat ticket on the face of the 'oh-so-legendary' officer Wilde seems too good an opportunity to pass up." He teased with a grin, making Nick roll his eyes.

"Ugh. Tell you what: next time we're on the same shift, I'll buy you a coffee. Hows that sound?"

"Make it a coffee plus jelly doughnut and you got yourself a deal."

"Hrmph… fine. Just keep this under wraps. I don't want the whole precinct knowing about it." Horace nodded and smiled, apparently satisfied.

"Lucky for you, traffic's light on these roads today. Keep off the highways and you should be fine. Drive safe kid. Oh, and next time, ask your mom to teach you. I'm sure she'd do a better job than this clown." He chuckled, much to Nick's annoyance.

"S-sure officer." Eli smiled sheepishly as the horse stepped away from the window and headed back to his car. The two sat in silence and watched the cruiser drive by before Eli spoke up.

"I… didn't mean to get you in trouble dad."

"Hey, take it easy bud, no harm done at all. The guys tend to sometimes play around with me or each other. Its all in good fun. Now, hows about you get us moving again, gently this time?"

Eli nodded and stepped on the accelerator again, making the car lurch forward and stop again as he let go of the pedal in panic.

"I said _gently_! You gotta learn how to have the car fully in your control."

"S-Sorry…"

"Look, do as I do." Nick instructed, giving a demonstration on how to press the pedal with his hindpaw. "See? I did it gently. You don't need to press it too hard or too quick. Just nudge it down."

Eli made another attempt following his father's example, and this time the car accelerated much more comfortably.

"Hey, you got it! Good work buddy. Now just keep practicing and you'll ace that test in no time." Nick smiled, raising his paws behind his head to rest it on them as he began to relax a bit more.

"Hey dad."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for helping me out with this."

"Anytime buddy." He patted his son's arm again. "Besides, there was no way I was gonna let your mother teach you how to drive." He joked, both of them chuckling.

* * *

**Present Day**

"_Ah, good times…"_ Eli thought with a smile as he continued on.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!"

"In the kitchen honey!" a voice he distinctly recognized as his mother's called back. Eli entered to find the rabbit standing on a stool in order to reach the counter where she was making the final preparations for tonight's meal. The kitchen, like the rest of the house, was designed for medium-sized mammals, so Judy, and sometimes even Nick, had to employ certain means to get things done.

"Hi mom."

"Hello sweetie!" She immediately brightened up upon seeing her kit, stepping off the stool and approaching to greet him, with Eli kneeling down on both knees to hug her. Judy had to step up on his thigh to better reach him as well, but neither of them minded that. She had proudly watched her son grow over the years from the small, adorable and shy young boy to a tall and handsome man. She and Nick had always been there for him through both good times and bad, through his failures and successes, their support and guidance forming Eli into the man he was today.

"Well well, look who's back!" Came Nick's voice from the kitchen doorway as he made his way in.

"Hey dad!" Eli responded as Judy stepped back so Nick could greet Eli, the fox's tail wagging as he tightly embraced his son. "Heya big guy."

"So, how was your day? Any good news?" Judy chimed in with a hopeful look as Nick and Eli parted their hug.

"Not really, mom…" Eli sighed looking away. His parents knew what that meant.

"Oh…" she started, not really knowing what else to say. "Well, thats okay. I'm sure you can try elsewhere next time. I _know_ you're bound to get lucky eventually!" She said in a chipper voice. She always was optimistic about things.

"Your mother's right. There's still work to be found out there. All you gotta do is look." He patted his son's shoulder. "And if things still don't work out, theres always the popsicle business." He grinned, earning an elbow in the gut from Judy. "Nick!" she glared at him.

"Ow! Heh, you know I'm just kidding Carrots. I'd never want that kind of life for Eli." He assured, remembering the hardships of his own former life.

"That's just it dad!" Eli stood up and turned away. "Theres no jobs left, I'm sure of it! It took me ages to hear of an opening in ZTECH, and I saw the line of mammals waiting for that one position! Only one of them would have gotten the job, and I bet the rest had to march home empty pawed, just like me!" he vented, pacing about the room, glancing afterwards to notice that his mother's ears had drooped and his father had that look on his face like he knew Eli was right. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to yell at you guys."

"Its alright buddy. We know how frustrating that can be. Not everyone scores a job at the first place they try." Nick consoled.

"This isn't exactly the only place I've tried dad." Eli retorted, to which Nick couldn't give any answer. The three remained silent for a few moments, with Judy and Nick watching Eli pace about the room again, apparently in thought.

"You know, you could always sign up for the police force. They're always looking for new recruits." Judy finally suggested, stopping Eli in his tracks as he pondered.

"I… I don't know mom… I don't think I'm cut out for the police force."

"Are you kidding?" Nick spoke up. "A guy like you would be a model police officer. Good natured, loyal, helpful, trustworthy, and with parents also on the force. You were in the Ranger Scouts too, and a good Ranger Scout almost always makes a good police officer. And we could help prepare you for the academy and help you out afterwards. Who knows, maybe we'll even get the chance to go out on patrols together." Nick winked.

Eli chuckled. He had to admit, he had always wanted a job where he could help his fellow mammals in some way, and the prospect of working alongside his parents was a tempting one. Then again, having your parents as your co-workers or your superiors? It felt weird at the same time. Not to mention things had changed in recent years. Judy had been promoted to Corporal, and while she did often get assigned on patrols and cases with Nick, Bogo had gradually begun introducing her to other duties, such as assisting in the supervision and training of rookies. Nick on the other hand, had not been as fortunate. When the time came for his promotion, Bogo deemed him too irresponsible and easygoing to be given more sensitive duties. It didn't help that he all too often ended up getting on the Chief's nerves. Instead, he had merely been raised to the level of Senior Patrol Officer, although Nick complained this was little more than 'a glorified police officer'. It gave him little benefits other than authority over his partner when Judy wasn't with him and better pay.

"Er… sounds great dad, but I'd like to think more on this."

"Sure, go ahead. You've got all century. After all, you're already working ten jobs, right? Must be hard to choose." Said Nick sarcastically and crossed his arms.

"Nick, don't pressure him!" Judy admonished, walking up to Eli and stroking his leg. "Take all the time you need sweetie. We're with you no matter what you decide." Eli smiled and nodded. Judy smiled back, then walked past him to continue finishing the preparation of their meal.

Supper went as it usually did. At the dinner table, the three of them further discussed the possibility of Eli joining the force. Judy had merely proposed the idea as a backup in case there was no other option, while Nick had the internal desire to see his son follow in his pawsteps like many fathers did. The more they explained, the more appealing it sounded, but Eli was still too unsure to commit. After the meal, he bade his parents goodnight and went to retire in his room.

His room was the same one Judy had first given him upon adoption, although it had gone through some changes more appropriate for his age. His bed was larger and the childish, decorated sheets and blankets had been replaced with normal ones. His dresser remained the same but was now occupied by adult clothes. The desk his computer used to be on was now a proper study desk and the computer had been replaced with a laptop. The shelf containing his toys and games had been replaced with a bookshelf mostly occupied by his study books and all of the toys were gone save for a purple gorilla plush that he kept for sentimental value. Eli yawned and slipped under the covers after a change of clothes, spending a bit more time pondering what his parents said and thinking of plans for tomorrow before drifting off to sleep.


	2. Old Friends

**Hi again guys! First off, I wanna thank you guys for the faves and reviews, I really appreciate them and it helps greatly in keeping my motivation up to continue writing, so keep them coming. :) Notably, some things in this story are going to be a little different from Elite Shade's work, but I hope you guys, especially fans of The Door/Keyhole, will enjoy and appreciate it all the same. Anyway, onwards to chapter 2 of Eli's story, where things start to get a bit more interesting...**

* * *

Eli woke up at 10 am. Dressing for the day in casual clothes, blue jeans and a lighter blue denim shirt with sleeves rolled up till his elbows, he made his way downstairs where he wasn't surprised to see his parents weren't there, having left earlier for work. While making himself a quick breakfast, he noticed a note on the fridge left by his mother asking him to buy a few groceries and other things for the house. Since Eli was unemployed, Judy and Nick would often ask him to fetch things or do chores and other tasks to help around the house, which he was happy to do, partly because it kept him occupied, and partly because he didn't want to be a useless burden on his parents, not that they would ever consider him such.

Eli didn't have anything else planned for the day, and he knew the trip to the supermarket wouldn't take too long, which gave him some time to have some fun and head to one of his 'special places'. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. Once finished with breakfast, he left home and walked to the nearest subway station, taking a train to Savannah Central. Once at his destination, he took a look around and enjoyed the living world around him. Much to Eli's fortune, at this time of day the streets were not as crowded as they usually were since most mammals were at work or school.

"_Okay, now to find a nice, empty alleyway…"_

A little bit of searching yielded what he was looking for. Eli entered the unoccupied alley and took one last look around him to make sure no one was around to watch, then faced the building at the end of the alley and readied himself. Immediately he broke into a sprint, running straight at the wall, but instead of crashing into it, he skillfully changed direction upwards, running a good ways up the wall, high enough to grab the window sill of the lowest window. Using the sill, he pulled himself up and climbed higher using the window frame and other gaps and cracks between the bricks that made the structure, until he could reach the sill of the window on the next floor, then climbing that until he reached the next floor window and so on, swiftly scaling the side of the building in fluid movements until he reached the roof. Now above street level, he took a deep breath of the cleaner air above the ground, feeling a rush of a very different kind of freedom and liberty that he could not feel when around others. Below, he was restricted by where others told him he could go and the paths were already set. Up here, however, he could make his own paths.

Peeking off the opposite edge of the roof, he could see the street below, with the various mammals walking about their business, none of them aware of the observer. He couldn't help but feel a tinge of superiority being above them like this. Scanning towards the center of the city, he found his target destination, then looked at the buildings around him to form a path to it. A nearby wire provided a way to cross the street, connecting his building and the one across. Eli had learned earlier that the wires were well insulated, thick and sturdy enough to carry his weight, and keeping his balance, he swiftly walked across to the other side. Most of the buildings in Savannah Central were very close to each other, and so did not produce any serious obstacles that Eli couldn't navigate as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop, sprinting in between to gain the necessary momentum. Any buildings that were too far apart were reached by navigating using electrical poles, telephone poles, traffic lights, wires and trees. For higher buildings, he would merely jump to its side and latch onto a window frame or anything else he could grab onto, then climb up to its roof. In the sprawling urban environment, Eli's movements were as natural as a monkey in the trees. The intricate design of the city meant that almost anything could be used to navigate above street level. It only took someone to view the environment in that specific way.

Working his way up buildings that were getting taller and taller, he finally reached the roof of the tallest building in Savannah Central, located at the northeastern edge of the district next to downtown, where the skyscrapers truly started. This was one of his favorite spots to visit, perfect for some peace and quiet, to think or relax, or just to enjoy the unobstructed view of Savannah Central as Eli was doing right now as he sat on the edge of the roof. It still amazed him how easy it was to make his way here compared to when he first started doing this.

At age fourteen, Eli had gained an interest in climbing after being taught basic climbing during his time as a Ranger Scout. Even in his free time, he would practice alone, starting with simple obstacles and fences, then graduating to walls and other higher, larger obstacles. More than once he had ended up with injuries, the boy having to conjure up various excuses for his parents ranging from falling off his bike to an encounter with a bully and various other sports related accidents. Eventually his interest in climbing evolved into a fascination with freerunning, and with years of practice, he was able to scale buildings and traverse obstacles in a manner and with speed that no other mammal his size could. Of course, being human was a major factor here, as having extra digits and his natural body form gave him an edge here. Unfortunately he realized he had to keep his skill a secret from others, especially his parents. He knew how protective they were of him, even at this age, and his mother in particular would have a heart attack if she found out about his dangerous pastime. They had been worrying for his wellbeing ever since they adopted him. The last thing he wanted was to add another worry to the list.

DING!

Eli's phone chimed in his pocket, pulling him out of his train of thoughts. One look at the screen brought a smile to his face. It was a message from Big Mike, his long time mouse friend.

"Hey Eli! Me and Isaac just got extended lunch breaks today. Wanna hang out at our usual place?"

"Sure, love to! Be there in 20." Eli typed back.

Stowing away his phone, he spent a few moments taking a last look at the breathtaking view before descending down the side of the building to reach the next one, roofhopping to his destination.

Eli peeked out of the entrance to the alleyway he had scaled down to street level in. Satisfied that no one had seen him coming down, he walked out and joined the pedestrians on the sidewalk. It was a short walk to the nearby Snarlbucks, the designated 'usual place' as it was near to both Isaac's and Mike's workplaces. Entering the establishment, he looked around at all the tables, but didn't see his two friends. Looks like they hadn't arrived yet, so he took the initiative and found a table for the three of them next to the window with a view of the street outside. He didn't have to wait long, for shortly afterwards a coyote with the unmistakable figure of a mouse on his head entered the café. They scanned the place before spotting Eli already sitting at a table, waving them over.

"You know, for once I'd like to see you guys sitting here first." Eli joked, bringing the smaller coyote in for a friendly hug who returned it with happy wags of his tail. Mike on the other hand had to make do with a very careful pawshake with Eli's much larger hand instead as the size difference made hugging impractical.

"Sorry for the wait. Getting out of office during lunchbreak pretty much means trudging through a stampede." Isaac chuckled.

"Yeah, not to mention this goofball spent ten minutes trying to find me at our meeting place when I was just five feet away!" Mike chided as he stomped a hindpaw on Isaac's head which registered as little more than a tap for the coyote.

"Hey, it was crowded there! Its not that easy finding a mouse in a wildebeest herd you know!"

"If you had taken any longer, I'd have been a mushed up mousegum stuck under someone's hoof!"

Eli couldn't help but chuckle at their friendly bickering. Ever since youth the two always had been a comedic duo. The man offered Mike his hand to jump onto, transporting him to the table as they all sat down. An otter waiter arrived with menus to take their orders. After deciding their meals they returned the menus to the waiter who left to fetch their selections.

"So… been a while, hasn't it?" Eli started.

"Yeah, sorry about last week Eli. Things have been hectic at the office lately. Same as with Isaac." Mike explained, with Isaac nodding. "They got us working on a new operating system and the launch date is approaching fast, but theres still a lot of bug fixing and testing to be done. So you can imagine what they're putting us through."

Mike continued discussing the details of his work. The mouse had graduated as a software engineer, though also indulged in hacking as a side hobby, and shortly afterwards had found employment as a programmer with a major software company.

"Things aren't much different over at ZTECH. Theres been an increase in the demand of products and so they've got us working extra. But rumor has it that things are gonna cool down this week." Isaac added cheerfully, his face lighting up as though he remembered something. "Speaking of ZTECH, how'd the interview go yesterday?" he brightened up, his tail wagging in excitement.

"Not bad, but I didn't quite cut it. They were looking for guys with more experience."

"Really? A damn shame. Sorry to hear that buddy, we were really rooting for ya." Mike consoled, walking over to pat Eli's hand on the table.

"Yeah, me and the guys even had bets on whether you'd make it or not, heh… OW!" Isaac recoiled his paw and looked over to see that Mike had jabbed it with a toothpick from the nearby dispenser.

"That's not helping Isaac." He admonished. "Anyway, don't give up hope. New positions tend to open up at random. You're bound to find one elsewhere. We'll help keep a lookout for any opportunities too, and we'll let you know as soon as we find one!" Mike promised.

"You can count on us Eli." Isaac added.

"Thanks guys, I really appreciate it. You're the best!"

It wasn't long after that their food arrived and the three dug in. The remainder of their time together was spent catching up with each other's lives, and eventually moving on to reminiscing about the good ol' days of their youth and all the fun they had, their time in the Ranger Scouts, their time in school, college and university. Mike and Isaac landed on the subject of one memorable event that all three had been present to witness back in high school, and had inadvertently become participants to. Eli remembered it all too well. Even though things had ended on good terms, that was not exactly one of his best days…

* * *

**Five years ago…**

"Did you know the answer to question twelve?" Isaac asked Mike, who was sitting on the coyote's head.

"Yeah, it was Moment equals Force times Distance."

"Darn, I got that one wrong!" Isaac cringed. "I hope that was the only one."

"What about you Eli? How'd yours go?" Mike asked the sixteen-year-old human accompanying them. The three teens were walking down the hallway to their lockers after just having finished with a surprise test.

"It was… okay, I guess. I'm pretty sure I might've scored enough to pass."

"Well I can already tell you guys I've aced it!" Mike confidently announced, much to Isaac's annoyance and Eli's amusement. Then again, as one of the smarter kids in class, he probably wasn't bluffing.

"Showoff." Isaac muttered as the three rounded the corner, and immediately froze when their eyes landed on the scene before them. Further down the hallway next to the lockers was a sturdy looking male elk apparently harassing a zebra student. Mason was a well known bully, feared by many medium and small sized mammals, and most tended to stay clear of him unless they wanted trouble. Even now, most students were avoiding the hallway they were in, except for a few who had no choice but to enter for whatever reason, and even then they made extra sure not to go close or even so much as look in his general direction.

"Come on guys, lets hang elsewhere. We'll come back later when its safer." Mike suggested. He and Isaac were turning to leave, but Eli noticed something peculiar about the bully's victim.

"Hey wait, isn't that… Lyla?!"

The mouse and coyote turned back and took another good look. "Hey you're right, it _is_ her!" Mike realized.

It seemed Mason had taken a liking to the pretty zebra girl and was harassing her, probably forcing her into a relationship, but Lyla was having none of it, visibly expressing her disgust at his advances. Because of his shy demeanor, Eli was never one for confrontations, and would have happily left the hallway if it hadn't been Lyla there, but his concern for her wellbeing surpassed his fear of the bully, and he took a step in their direction before he felt someone grabbing and stopping him from behind.

"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?! Are you crazy?! He'll tear you apart!" whined Isaac as he clutched onto and restrained his human friend.

"Hey, Lyla's my friend too! I'm not gonna just stand here and watch him push her around!"

"Trust me, she'll come out of it just fine in one piece! Its _you_ we're worried about! You go in there and you're gonna end up as swiss cheese!" Mike tried to reason. The mouse had already hopped off Isaac's head onto the floor and was trying to hold Eli back by pulling on one of his shoelaces.

"Let me go!" Eli demanded and broke free of their grasp. Mike had to let go regardless or risk being flung off to the other end of the hallway when Eli took another step.

"_What was I thinking?! What the hell do I do? What if he ends up pummeling me?"_ thought Eli, but it was already too late as before he knew it, he was standing before the elk.

"M-Mason, that's enough." he commanded after gathering all his courage. Lyla was visibly surprised when she saw him, although knowing Eli's nature, her expression changed to one of concern rather than relief. The elk regarded the human with an irritated look, not the least bit happy for his courtship session being interrupted.

"Well well, if it isn't our resident freak. Whats the matter? Looking to get your face even more messed up than it already is?"

"She clearly isn't interested, Mason. L-Leave her alone."

This only aggravated the elk even more, and the mammal directed his full attention towards Eli.

"Oh? And are you supposed to be the hero whos gonna save his damsel in distress? That's either pretty brave or pretty stupid of you. You'll turn the other way if you know whats good for you." He threatened, but Eli didn't budge, staring him down instead. He was trembling slightly, all sorts of alarm bells ringing in his head telling him he shouldn't be doing this, telling him to retreat. He was already fighting an internal battle with his shy, fearful side.

"Didn't you hear me? Beat it furless!" he barked, this time shoving the human teen hard enough that he fell over on his back.

"Mason stop! Don't hurt him!" Lyla interjected. She couldn't bear the thought of Eli getting into trouble because of her.

"You keep out of this!" he snarled. Eli saw as Lyla was shoved aside, slamming into the wall. Something sparked deep inside him, something he hadn't felt up until now, something he never thought he would feel. The beginnings of anger, rage and fury, building up inside him. His fists balled and teeth gritted. He immediately pushed himself onto his feet and charged at the elk, smashing into him shoulder first and sending the animal stumbling back, colliding into the drinking fountain further back. When Mason recovered, he was staring daggers at Eli.

"You just dug your own grave, Hopps!"

This was it! Eli knew there was no turning back now as he watched the elk approach, his adrenaline pumping and instincts kicking in as he prepared to defend himself. Unfortunately, he was no fighter, and couldn't save himself from the first punch Mason connected to his abdomen, followed by another right on his face. Getting hit was bad enough as is, but the elk's hard hooves seemed to pack even more of a punch! It was enough to force Eli back down on the ground.

"Bet you're wishing you had claws and fangs right now, aren't you? Well when I'm done with you, you won't even have a recognizable face!"

Mason loomed over Eli, ready to deliver his finishing blows when suddenly he yelped in pain. Seemingly out of nowhere, Isaac had pounced on the elk and bitten his torso from the side. At the same time, Mike scurried his way up to the elk's face and began assaulting it as best as he could, both of them rushing to their friend's aid. Of course, the animal was much too large for the two of them to take down, but it served its purpose in distracting him long enough for Eli to recover. By the time Mason had pushed Isaac away and brushed Mike off of his face, Eli already had a punch flying his way, landing straight at the elk's face, followed by another on his gut, then another and another. Mason managed to shrug off the final punch and countered with his own that impacted squarely on Eli's chest, but he was able to duck and dodge the next one intended for his face, countering with a few more that sent the elk stumbling back. An exhausted Eli himself reeled a few steps back towards the lockers.

"That's it! No more playing around!" Mason yelled in fury, charging full speed at Eli, this time with his antlers bared, the edges dangerously sharpened. Now Eli understood what Mike had meant about becoming 'swiss cheese'! Having no other means of defending himself, Eli looked around and noticed he was standing next to an elephant student's locker, one with a larger, sturdier door… and it was ajar! Quickly, he grabbed the door, picked his moment and flung it open as hard as he could. The heavy door impacted the head of the charging elk, stopping him in his tracks and collapsing on the floor. He stared back at Eli with a murderous look. It didn't look like he was ready to give up.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH! BREAK IT UP!" came a voice that turned all heads present at the scene. It was the Principal, and he did not look the least bit happy with the scene before him. Some of the students had taken notice of the fight going on and must have notified him about it. The audience that had gathered to watch quickly dispersed, leaving only Mason, Eli, Isaac, Mike and Lyla behind.

"Mason, this is the final straw! I have had it up to here with your delinquency! Your parents are going to hear about this! In fact, I'm going to notify ALL your parents about this! Mason, Isaac, Michael, Lyla: all of you march straight to my office right now! Eli!..." the hippopotamus began, before noticing the boy's condition. "…see yourself to the nurse first, then my office."

Mike and Isaac exchanged somber looks with Eli before following the principal, while Mason gave him a 'this isn't over yet' glare before doing the same, followed by Lyla who turned around to regard him with a remorseful look as she left Eli alone with his thoughts.

_Some time later…_

Eli looked at himself in the mirror positioned in front of the medical bed he sat on, only now able to see the damage done. His eye had blackened where Mason punched him. Lifting his shirt, he could see other bruises from various other blows, still painful to the touch. Luckily, there didn't seem to be any bleeding or anything more serious.

"Here you go. Just hold this on your eye. It should help with the swelling." Chimed the gazelle nurse as she brought an icepack for Eli's black eye.

"T-Thanks."

"So, your checkup is done and I didn't see anything of concern. You're very lucky you didn't get any broken bones. And don't worry about the bruises, they should heal soon. All the same, I'd avoid getting into fights in the future if I were you."

"I'll be more careful."

"Good. Now I have some work I need to finish up. I'll be in my office just over there in case you need anything. As soon as you feel well enough, head over to the Principal's office, he's expecting you."

"Will do, miss."

With that, she departed, leaving Eli to rest and recover. The boy kept thinking about what the Principal would say to him. More importantly, he mentioned calling his parents. Would he really do that? What would _they_ say? The last thing he wanted was to disappoint them. How would he explain his actions? Would they believe him? The sound of the door opening caught Eli's attention, looking over to see it was Lyla, wearing the same concerned expression from before.

"Lyla? W-What are you doing here?"

"Hey Eli. Just came to see how you're doing." She gasped upon seeing his face. "Oh, your eye! Its not looking too good."

"Its just bruised. It'll get better, don't worry about it." He assured. It seemed to calm Lyla down a bit. "Didn't you get called to the Principal's office?"

"Yes. I already spoke with him. He's really mad about what happened. I explained the whole thing to him, and he's let me off with a warning, but he's already called Mason, Mike and Isaac's parents… and yours too." She finished grimly, the news sending a wave of dread through Eli's body.

"Eli… I'm so sorry… I wanted to apologize. I didn't mean for this to happen… I didn't mean to get you in trouble…"

"Its… not your fault Lyla. Mason shouldn't have bothered you like that."

"You know… you didn't have to do what you did. You got yourself and your friends hurt. It really wasn't necessary. Mason would have probably left me alone after a while."

"I… I just couldn't stand by and see him forcing himself onto you like that. M-Maybe if I hadn't come around, he might've done something worse…"

Lyla merely stood there, going over his words, staring at her unexpected savior, and a smile began forming on her lips.

"Well, in any case… thanks Eli…" she smiled, leaning in to kiss his cheek. The gesture left the boy stunned momentarily. By the time he regained awareness, he only caught a glimpse of Lyla's tail as she left the room.

"You're… youre welcome…" he said absentmindedly as he stared at the empty doorway, stroking his cheek where she left her gift, now reddened with blush.

_Later…_

Eli patiently waited as he sat on the bench in the empty waiting room, occasionally looking over at the nearby door with the frosted glass window. The letters on the window read 'Principal's Office'. Sounds of a conversation could be heard coming from the office beyond. The loudest voice was the principal's, besides which two other familiar voices were heard. It seemed like there was quite the heated debate going on in there, and it had been going for a while, even before Eli's arrival. The principal had already dealt with Mike, Isaac and Mason and their parents, and now it was Eli's turn. A while later, the door opened.

"Yes sir, don't worry. It won't happen again." Judy called back as she left the office.

"It certainly wouldn't if you didn't enroll jerks in the school in the first place." Nick criticized snarkily, shutting the door behind him. Both the fox and the rabbit were in uniform, having been called while at work. Luckily they were not on patrol, but it still didn't make it any easier to ask the chief's permission to come here. In a rare occurrence, as soon as his eyes lay on the waiting Eli, particularly his injury, Nick's expression dropped to a genuinely deeply concerned one, while on the other hand the color on Judy's face drained as she gasped and covered her mouth with her paws. It looked like she was about to scream.

"Uh… heh… h-hi mom… dad…" Eli smiled sheepishly, the guilt plainly visible beneath it.

"OH MY GOSH! ELI! YOUR EYE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Judy rushed over to her kit, hopping onto the bench beside him and turning his head to face her so she could examine his injury. She pulled out her handkerchief and licked it to dampen it a bit before dabbing it on Eli's black eye.

"I'm… I'm okay mom, don't worry. Its just a bruise."

"Just a bruise? JUST A BRUISE?! You're lucky its only a bruise! It could have been a lot worse! Eli, honey, what were you thinking picking a fight just like that?!"

"I didn't start it mom! A friend of mine was in trouble, and I had to help her out!"

"You should have just called a teacher or the principal!"

"But… but I…"

"No excuses Eli! The principal has been kind enough to give you the rest of the day off to recover. We're gonna drive you home and then we have to report back to the station. Now come on." She finished sternly, stepping off the bench and marching out of the room.

"You sure you're okay buddy?" Nick asked as he walked up to his son, who nodded in response. "Well, don't take it too hard, your mother's just worried about you. Frankly, seeing that eye of yours had me worried too." He patted Eli's knee, the two of them eventually following after Judy.

"I heard you gave that Mason guy a clobbering?"

"W-Well… I tried."

"I saw him leaving the principal's office just before we went in. Looked like you did quite a number on him. Thats pretty impressive! Didn't know you had it in ya." Nick nudged the boy's thigh with an elbow, attempting to lighten the mood. Eli shyly looked down and rubbed the back of his neck.

The drive home was uneventful. There was an unusual silence in the cruiser. Neither Eli nor Nick said anything for fear of angering Judy more. Now that Eli thought about it, he couldn't recall seeing his mother this upset before, especially at him. As soon as Judy cruised into the driveway of their home, Eli gathered his things, opened the car door, stepped out and made his way to the front door.

"Eli, wait!" Judy called out from behind. Eli looked back to see her stepping out of the car and coming over to him. She gestured for Eli to kneel, which he obediently did, after which she stepped up and hugged him tightly for a few moments, followed by a kiss on his forehead.

"Sweetie… I'm sorry for scolding you earlier. I was just so worried about you. When I heard you had been involved in a fight, I was so afraid that you might be seriously hurt, and I couldn't bear the thought. I guess I overreacted a bit."

"No, I understand mom. I'm sorry too. I didn't mean to make you worried about me. I'll be more careful from now on."

Judy smiled at this and hugged her kit again before letting him stand up. "Feel better?"

"Mmhmm!" Eli responded with a nod and a smile before being startled by a noise coming from the direction of the cruiser.

*CLICK* "There, that looks like it'll be worthy of the family album, dontcha think?" Nick grinned, examining the picture he had just taken with his phone.

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**Okay, so this chapter is a bit long, but I couldn't find any way to shorten it without making it feel incomplete. Hopefully its not too overwhelming for you guys. Anyway, see you again in the next chapter!**


	3. Opportunity Knocks

**Hello again! My apologies, as this chapter ****(and some of the other upcoming ones as well) ****is a bit short , but I'm having difficulty in dividing my story up into equal chapters. I hope everyone will enjoy it nonetheless. Let me know if you guys think its too short or not, or if you have any suggestions. And now, onwards to chapter 3, where Eli's luck seems to be changing... but is it for the better or for worse?**

* * *

**Present Day…**

"… and then that jerk Mason got expelled after that! Best news I heard that day!" Isaac finished with a laugh.

"Good riddance. Add to that the fact he got whooped by Eli, I bet he learned his lesson. Right Eli?...Eli?"

"…Hmm? What?" Eli responded, as if snapped out of a daydream.

"You okay there pal?" Mike asked.

"Oh, sorry. Was just remembering the details of that day."

After finishing their meals, the three friends ordered coffee and continued their conversations as they sipped on them. Mike and Isaac finished theirs earlier and soon realized they were out of time for their lunchbreaks.

"Well Eli, it was great catching up with you. I wish I could hang around longer, but the boss'll kill me if I'm back late." Mike explained.

"I gotta go too unfortunately. Need to get back to helping the guys finish up a project. Maybe we'll find more time to do fun stuff on our vacations. At least we still have our lunch breaks until then. Looking forward to seeing you again next time Eli." Isaac added and hugged his friend goodbye.

After Mike's farewell to Eli, he and Isaac decided to leave together until they'd have to part ways further on. Eli decided to stay a little longer, partly also because he hadn't finished his coffee yet. He still had to fetch the groceries, but there was still plenty of time to do that. From the window he was sitting next to, he watched his two friends leave, then merely continued to dreamily enjoy the city life, watching the various mammals passing by as he sipped on his coffee, with the late afternoon sun lighting up the scene. Even the café had its own sights, sounds, smells and atmosphere that made him relax as he observed the other patrons eating, chatting and laughing. His attention landed on the nearby TV mounted on the wall, tuned to ZNN, where the news anchor seemed to have just finished with the headlines.

"…In other news, many Zootopians, especially the human populace, are celebrating today the addition of Zootopia's newest human resident. Whats so special about that, you ask? Well this particular resident happens to be the first human to arrive in Zootopia the natural way. Doctors at Zootopia General have finally officially announced the birth of the cub, a male, and stated that he is perfectly healthy and in stable condition, currently under precautionary observation after which he will be given to his parents. The proud parents, for that matter, were known to have arrived in much the same circumstances as other humans two years ago on separate occasions. They stated that they met shortly afterwards and were married almost a year ago.

This event comes as welcoming news to officials at the Zootopian Demographics and Census Bureau, who describe it as 'a start to a bright future for the otherwise dwindling human population.' Citing this event as an example, they are actively encouraging more humans to couple with their own, or at the very least, donate semen samples and participate in surrogacy, all in the hopes of pulling humankind out of the 'critically endangered' status."

"_Huh, neat. Now if only they were offering payment for a semen sample…" _Eli pondered with a grin.

Soon after, Eli was jarred out of his thoughts by the sound of the chair opposite his being moved, the one Isaac had been sitting on. Looking in that direction, he saw the culprit responsible was a snow leopardess who had just seated herself at his table. She was wearing a dress coat a slightly darker shade of grey than her own fur with a white dress shirt underneath. Initially Eli thought she may have made a mistake. Perhaps she was here on a blind date and thought Eli was her date, or judging by her clothing, she was here for a business deal and sat on the wrong table.

"Uh… can I help you?"

"Mr. Eli Hopps?" she inquired, much to Eli's surprise.

"Y-Yes?"

"Good afternoon Mr. Hopps. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Anya Purranova." She introduced, extending a paw for him to shake which he did.

"Is there something I can do for you, Miss Purranova?"

"Yes, I hope you don't mind sparing a few moments of your time? I'll get right to the point. I'm here as a representative of Mr. Shere Khan. More specifically, I work as his secretary. Perhaps you've heard of him?"

"Can't say I have."

"Mr. Khan is an influential businessmammal, entrepreneur, and the founder and Chairmammal of Khan Industries, a technological corporation producing various tools, devices, goods and commodities, as well as conducting research and development in the advancement of newer technologies for the benefit of all mammals. In addition, the company also partakes in construction, logistics, mining, resource collection, and the refinement of minerals into usable raw materials. He has an industrial empire that spans across the entire country, including one complex here on the outskirts of Zootopia, and the headquarters of the company is located here as well in the Business District in Downtown Zootopia."

"That's all very impressive, but what does it have to do with me?"

"Mr. Khan has heard that you're having an 'employment crisis', correct? He realizes your true potential, and as such, wishes to offer you a position in his company."

Now this was unsettling. How would this person know about him? Was he spying on him or something? And why him in particular anyways?

"And how exactly does this Mr. Khan know about me?"

"As I said before, he's a very influential mammal. He has eyes and ears everywhere, and he is constantly on the lookout for 'specially talented' individuals suitable for being a part of his unique workforce."

Eli thought about the offer while the snow leopardess patiently waited, her tail idly swishing behind her in typical feline fashion.

"Er… that's a very tempting offer, but I'm still not entirely sure about it. I'd probably have to know more to decide…"

"An odd thing to say for someone with supposedly no other options regarding employment. Still, its alright. If you do change your mind and wish to hear the details, come visit me at my office Downtown. Look for 'The Fang'. Here's my card. I do implore you to consider this opportunity though. Mr. Khan does not extend such privileges to just anyone. Good day, Mr. Hopps."

She placed her business card in front of Eli, then stood up to leave. Eli watched her through the window until she was out of sight. He picked up and examined the card before him. It was hers alright. Had her name, office phone number and address on it. Strangely though, it was somewhat thicker than a business card would normally be.

After finishing his coffee, Eli made his way straight to the supermarket, although throughout his trip he couldn't help but think about what happened earlier. Something seemed off about the whole thing. Why would they specifically seek him out? How did she and this Mr. Khan know so much about him? She said they apparently had informants around? If so, how long were they observing him? Was he being watched even right now? Eli did a quick survey of his surroundings just to check. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, just fellow shoppers everywhere. Then again it would be impossible to find a skilled spy blended somewhere in this crowd. He tried to do away with his paranoia and finished up his shopping. The sun had started setting by the time he reached home and stowed the groceries. Just in time too, as his parents would be home soon.

_Later…_

"Thanks for getting the groceries. You saved us a lot of time and trouble." Judy smiled as the family ate their supper together at the table.

"Anytime, mom. Always happy to help out."

"So, what did you do for the rest of the day?"

"Well, I got to meet up with Mike and Isaac. We spent some time chatting at Snarlbucks."

"That sounds wonderful sweetie! It reminds me though, its been a while since I spoke to Isabella. I should call her up sometime."

"That's all well and good buddy, but didn't you do any job hunting? I'm sure you could've found some time for that." Nick interjected.

"Er… yeah, about that. A job kind of… hunted _me_." This seemed to catch both his parents' interests as their ears immediately perked up.

"Oh yeah? How so?" Nick asked as he sipped his drink.

"While I was alone at Snarlbucks, this snow leopard lady came up to me. She claimed to be Mr. Khan's secretary and said that he wanted to hire me for his company."

Hearing that name, Nick almost choked on his drink and immediately spat it out all over the dinner table, much to Judy's displeasure. "Did… Did you say _Mr. Khan_? As in THE Mr. Shere Khan? Owner of Khan Industries?"

"Y-Yeah. You know of him?" Eli asked, with Judy just as interested in Nick's reply as she hadn't heard the name before either. There was an ominous pause before Nick spoke again.

"Eli, I… I don't think you should take this job." He advised with a serious tone and expression, contrary to his usual careless demeanor.

"What?! Nick, are you crazy? Eli finally gets a job offer and you want him to refuse it?"

"Judy, you don't understand! This isn't some ordinary job offer. This one's coming from The Big Cat himself!"

"And just _what_, pray tell, is so bad about this Mr. Khan?"

"Well first off, from what I've heard, its almost impossible to get employed in Khan Industries the usual way, so for him to send an employment offer specifically to Eli, whom he supposedly shouldn't even know in the first place, is suspicious enough to begin with. Secondly, even though Mr. Khan seems clean at first glance, word on the street is that he may be engaged in some… 'questionable' activities. I've heard rumors of drug trafficking, dealing with criminals, illegal technological research, having shady characters in his employ, and the fact that any business rivals often tend to 'disappear'." Nick finished, making air quotes with his paws.

"If what you're saying is true, then how come I've never heard of him?"

"A lot of mammals don't know much about him. The guy tends to keep away from the public spotlight. That means no press conferences, interviews, pictures or public meetings. In the event his voice is needed somewhere, he sends his spokesmammals and representatives to do the talking. Pretty much the same thing that happened with Eli."

"So how do you know so much about him?"

"All information I've received from my very special secret contacts, Carrots."

"You mean the thugs, hooligans and con artists on the streets that you've known since your hustling days?" Judy crossed her arms, wearing an unimpressed look.

"Hey, these are the guys who know the real juicy stuff!"

"Or they're just delusional from being hyped up on drugs. Nick, these are just rumors, meaning theres no evidence of them being true, otherwise the police would have been all over this guy."

"Maybe he's just really good at covering his tracks."

"Nick, you are not going to deny Eli this opportunity just because of your baseless paranoia."

"Why don't you let Eli decide that for himself, hmm? I think he's old enough to do that." Nick suggested. Both pairs of eyes then turned to Eli, the young man taken aback by the sudden attention. He thought about it for a moment, before sifting through his pocket and pulling out the card that Anya handed him, staring at it.

"Well… I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least check it out. I'm sure I could refuse them if I really wanted to."

"That sounds like a good idea. Don't you agree Nick?" she turned to the fox. Nick frowned at her, then turned to Eli with a sigh.

"Alright… Just be careful out there. If anything looks off, just say no and get out of there, okay?"

"I will, dad."


	4. Rendezvous with Destiny

**Heya! Liking the story so far? Well, I'm happy to bring you the next chapter, although its short like the last, but seeing as I didn't get any complaints, I assume everyones happy with it. Now onwards to Eli's big day...**

**The Next Day…**

Eli shifted uncomfortably as he sat in the crowded subway car on his way to the Business District in Downtown Zootopia. All sorts of animals occupied the car, mostly wearing suits, no doubt going for work, or to conduct business deals, etc. Eli himself was wearing his suit, the same one he wore to the ZTECH interview. And just like on that day, he was getting curious glances from some of the passengers. It was still not an easy task to go out in public as a human, as the rarity of the species meant that the presence of one was bound to turn a few heads.

Stepping off the train at his stop, Eli exited out of the station to a sight very different from the usual Zootopia. There were skyscrapers everywhere, each one belonging to a different corporation, some of them constructed in unique architecture and reaching astounding heights. Eli produced the card from his pocket and followed the address. Due to the complexity of the area, on more than one occasion he had to stop and ask a local for directions to 'The Fang' as he had been told. It didn't take him too long to find it once he was close enough though. The building was one of the taller ones around, and as the name suggested, its design seemed to be based on the shape of a big cat's fang. An intimidating yet modern looking structure that stood out amongst its immediate neighbors. The building was surrounded by ample space containing a well maintained garden with fountains and a large parking space. Various mammals, most likely employees, could be seen wandering, resting and talking in the garden. Eli even got a few stares from some of them as he walked down one of the paths through the garden that led to the building's entrance. Above the entrance, the words 'Khan Industries' was boldly written, above which was what appeared to be the corporation's logo: the letters SK written together stylized and encased within a circle. Eli deduced that this was likely just Shere Khan's initials.

Approaching the grand-looking entrance, Eli noticed what he figured was a doormammal, apparently a lion, standing right outside. He was wearing a security guard uniform with a grey shirt, darker grey pants and a black tie, along with matching jacket and peaked cap, as well as a utility belt with a tranquilizer gun and pouches for other equipment. Patches with the same symbol with Shere Khan's initials like in the company logo could be seen on the left and right upper arms of the jacket. The big cat eyed the man suspiciously and waited until he got closer to raise his paw in a 'stop' gesture.

"Halt! State your business." He asked in a gruff tone.

"Uh…My name is Eli Hopps. I'm here to see a Miss Anya Purranova."

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Well n-no, but she gave me her business card and told me to meet her in her office here whenever I could."

"May I see the card please?" the lion asked with an outstretched paw. Eli handed him the particular object and watched as he examined it critically, like a jeweler examining a gem for its authenticity. As if that wasn't puzzling enough, the lion then took the card to a nearby computer console embedded into the wall next to the entrance and slid it into the provided slot. Because of the angle, Eli couldn't make out exactly what information was being displayed on the screen, but it seemed to satisfy the lion, who retrieved the card and handed it back to him.

"Everything seems to be in order. You may enter."

As Eli walked towards the doors, he took a quick look at the card again, but couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary on it aside from its unusual thickness. He could only assume the card probably had an electronic chip hidden inside it for authentication purposes.

Beyond the doors was a short grand hallway featuring a guards' desk and a few other guards who stared at the new, unusual arrival. One of them, a jaguar, approached Eli with something in his paw.

"Sir, could you please stand still for a moment and raise your arms?"

Eli complied, and the guard used the detector wand in his paw to scan him, taking only a moment to do so.

"Very well sir, its all clear, go on."

"_Jeez, looks like Mr. Khan doesn't compromise on security."_

Much to Eli's relief, there were no other hindrances in his way. The hallway opened up into a massive lobby unlike any that he had ever seen before. And if the size wasn't awe inspiring on its own, the place was lavishly decorated with various kinds of expensive artwork, sculptures and architecture, as well as exorbitant large windows, wall tiling and floor marbling, each with their own elaborate designs. Of note was an extravagant looking gigantic grand chandelier with numerous lights hanging from the high roof, as well as a large fountain right in the center of the lobby. Curiously enough, the fountain was decorated with a large statue of a 'feral' or 'savage' tiger, as in without clothes and completely in its 'wild' state, posed rearing back on its hind legs as if in a fight.

"_Whoa… looks like he doesn't compromise on luxury either."_

The lobby was quite the hive of activity. Numerous mammals in suits were either milling about, discussing topics with one another, making phone calls, or rushing around from one place to the next to finish their work, some carrying piles of papers, bundles of folders or briefcases. Those who caught sight of Eli ended up doing a double take, with some even staring. Making his way further, Eli approached the reception desk which was mammaled by multiple receptionists.

"Yes, how may I… help you sir?" asked the one attending to Eli, a female serval, taken aback momentarily as she looked up from her desk to the rare mammal in front of her.

"My name is Eli Hopps, and I'm here to see Miss Purranova. I was told to meet her here at her office." He explained, showing her the business card as further proof.

"One moment please." She replied, picking up the cord phone next to her and dialing a number. After a few rings the mammal on the other side finally picked it up.

"Yes, hello Miss Purranova? This is reception. I have a Mr. Eli Hopps here to see you. He says you asked him to come by?... I see. Shall I send him up?...Yes ma'am… right away ma'am." With that, the serval put down the phone and directed her attention back to Eli.

"You're in luck, Miss Purranova is available right now, and she's been expecting you. Just take one of the elevators at the end of the lobby to the ninety ninth floor, then head straight down the hallway and you should be at her door."

"_NINETY NINTH FLOOR?! Sweet cheese and crackers! I'm gonna be in that elevator all day!"_

Eli thanked the receptionist and continued past the desk to the elevators, lucky enough to find one empty… or, well, _almost_ empty. It was occupied by a lioness who was just about to press her floor button when she was startled by Eli's sudden appearance.

"Er… going up?" Eli asked.

"Y-yes." She responded, stepping aside to allow him to enter. She pressed the button for the ninety eighth floor and Eli pressed the one above that.

"I'm sorry for startling you." Eli apologized as the elevator began its ascent.

"Oh, that's quite alright. I should be the one apologizing anyways. I guess I wasn't expecting to see a human in here. Especially this close." She chuckled.

"Understandable." Eli smiled. There was a bit of a pause before she spoke up again.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you here? Just curious."

"I'm here to see about a job offer."

"Really? Well that would be a first."

"Pardon?"

"I meant it would be a bit of a milestone for the company. If they hire you, you'd be the first human employed by Khan Industries."

"You're saying no other human has ever been qualified enough to work for the company?"

"Not necessarily. The same treatment goes for virtually every non-feline mammal. When it comes to employment, Mr. Khan prefers to hire fellow felines. He's never mentioned the reason, but many think its because it makes him more comfortable being amongst his own kind. Of course, if a non-feline mammal proves to be better than any feline in their particular line of work, then Mr. Khan will overlook their species. Despite his bias, he still prioritizes quality over biology."

Now that Eli thought about it, he realized that ever since he stepped onto the building's premises, the majority of all the mammals he had seen were indeed feline. The ones at the garden, the doorman, the security, the lobby crowd, the receptionists, all feline with the exception of a few.

"Huh… well that explains a lot." Eli said as the elevator stopped at the ninety eighth floor. Much to his relief, the elevator moved fast so it didn't take as long as he thought it would.

"Well, this is my stop. It was nice talking with you." The lioness bade goodbye and exited the elevator, leaving the man to ride the remaining short trip up alone. Once at his floor, he followed the receptionist's directions, noticing that this floor was much emptier than the ground floor. Then again, judging by the fewer number of doors, there were only a handful of offices. The one Eli had to go to was the largest, and even had a doorbell that buzzed when he pressed it to announce his presence. "Come in!" a voice called out from inside, prompting him to enter. The office itself was very spacious, well decorated and neat and tidy, with a large window looking outside just behind the desk that was the centerpiece of the office. Sitting at the desk was a familiar snow leopardess who looked up from her work to her visitor with a pleased smile.

"Mr. Hopps! So wonderful to see you! I'm so glad you decided to visit after all. Welcome to my office. Please, have a seat." She gestured to the seat on the other side of her desk as she stood up and approached to greet him.

"Nice to see you again too, Miss Purranova. Quite the impressive place you have here." He replied, shaking paws with her before sitting down.

"Why thank you! I keep it tidy and organized as best as I can." She chuckled. "Is there anything I can get you to drink? Tea? Coffee? Perhaps some fruit juice?"

"Uh… some juice sounds good right about now." Eli suggested. Anya nodded and went over to the small kitchenette to the side of her office, grabbing a selection of fruits and mixing them together in a juicer. She made enough juice for both Eli and herself.

"I hope you didn't have too much trouble finding your way up here?"

"Er, not really. Though I have to say, I've been wondering about the need for such security."

"My apologies if they gave you any inconveniences, but Mr. Khan doesn't take any chances with safety and security. The guards here are part of his private security force, and they follow his own set of rules and regulations regarding visitors and intruders. Still, if you brought my business card along, you should have been just fine." She picked up the two tall glasses of juice and placed them on her desk, one in front of Eli and the other for herself.

"Mmhmm. And does Mr. Khan also have a thing for residing miles above the ground in ominous looking buildings?" Eli asked half-jokingly as he picked up his glass and began sipping while Anya sat on her chair and did the same. She couldn't help but laugh.

"Magnificent, isn't it? Welcome to 'The Fang'." She gestured around herself. "Mr. Khan had a personal role in the design and construction of the building, especially since the design was based on one of his own fangs. With a hundred floors, its one of the taller structures in the Business District. Most of the floors contain office spaces but there are also 'special' floors, such as an observation deck, hotel rooms for VIP guests, research labs, etc. The ninety ninth floor, the one you're on, is where Mr. Khan's secretaries work, including myself. Mr. Khan himself both resides and works on the hundredth floor."

"_Secretaries_? As in, you're not his only one?"

"No. I'm his chief secretary, but there are others too. He's a very busy mammal you see. He handles the major business deals and overall operation of the company, while we handle the more intricate duties and assist him with his work. It takes many mammals to run a corporation as vast as this, you know."

"I can imagine." Eli finished. The two engaged in further casual conversation for a bit longer while they finished their drinks before Anya returned to the matter at paw.

"Seeing as you're here, I assume you've given some thought to the offer?" she asked after a moment.

"Yes actually. I… might be interested. But I'd like to know more about the job I'm being offered."

"Well, I can tell you the work is one that is of a highly sensitive nature, but on the plus side, I can assure you it would pay _very_ well, more than any other job that you could get anywhere else in the city with your age and current experience. Beyond that, I'd recommend you direct your questions to Mr. Khan when you meet him, as he'll answer them better than I or anyone else could."

"W-Wait, hold on… I'm… I'm going to meet Mr. Khan?"

"Why yes. He's the one who specifically asked for you after all, and he's informed me that he would love to personally speak with you if you were to come by. Better yet, he has some time for you today from his otherwise busy schedule, making this a perfect opportunity. Oh, and theres absolutely nothing to worry about: I'll be there with you the whole time, and though Mr. Khan may seem a bit… intimidating at first glance, he tends to warm up once you get to know him." She assured, though Eli still remained nervous. Anya picked up her office phone and dialed the number to Shere Khan's office.

"Hello, sir? Anya here. Just wanted to inform you that Mr. Hopps has arrived if you wish to meet him… Very well sir, at once." She responded and placed the phone back.

"Mr. Khan has called you up. Are you ready to go?"

"I guess so."

"Then lets not keep him waiting." She smiled.


	5. The Big Cat

**Hey guys! Just a heads up that due to work and other commitments, I won't have as much time to write the story as I used to, so updates will probably take longer. Hope you guys can bear with me on this, and thank you for following me so far. Now, continuing on with the next chapter…**

* * *

With Eli in tow, they walked to and rode the elevator up to the final floor of the building. The elevator doors opened to reveal what appeared to be a lounge of sorts, possibly a waiting room judging by the reception desk in the middle of the room, with a female caracal mammaling the desk. She looked up at the pair as they approached her.

"Go right on in Ma'am, Mr. Khan is expecting you." She smiled, already having been informed of their arrival. Anya nodded and led Eli past her towards the very ornate and impressively large double doors at the other end of the room. The doors were guarded by two large and sturdy looking tiger security guards. Aside from staring at Eli, the guards didn't present any hindrance to the two, opening the doors to allow them to enter the room and closing them again once they were inside.

On the other side of the doors seemed to be an entirely different place. It didn't look like they were any longer inside an office building. In fact, it almost didn't look like they were inside the city at all! The gigantic 'room' seemed to be completely enveloped in tropical foliage of all sorts, giving the appearance of a jungle. Various trees, bushes, vines, flowers and other plants lined the sides and center of the room, as well as creating a bit of a canopy above, with only the matching green marble floor visible in the clear areas and a different colored split marble path going around either side of the central vegetation. Anya led Eli further into the room on one of the paths. Eli could hear the singing of various exotic birds around him and spotted some of them resting in the trees or flying between them. It was quite the 'trek' through the jungle to the other end of the room that featured a much larger clearing, the centerpiece of which was a large desk with an office chair behind it. The chair was facing away from the desk towards a massive window behind, with curtains covering much of it except for a little bit at the center that allowed enough sunlight in to highlight the chair, desk and surrounding area. The large back of the chair made it impossible to tell who was sitting on it, or if even anyone was sitting on it at all.

"Mr. Khan? Mr. Eli Hopps is here to see you." Anya spoke up as they approached the desk. After a moment, the chair turned around to reveal its occupant, a well-dressed and well-built tiger. Noticeably, he was well groomed and was wearing a fine suit of _very_ expensive material, no doubt custom made by a highly skilled tailor as well. He carried a stoic, no-nonsense expression that Eli felt didn't change much regardless of what his emotions were. It reminded him a lot of the one his father often donned, minus the sly smirk. One look was enough for Eli to tell this particular mammal commanded the utmost respect, demanded unwavering loyalty, and held no tolerance for mistakes or failures. His assumptions were further solidified when the tiger spoke to him in a deep, English-accented voice that radiated power, authority, class and flair all at the same time.

"Ah, Mr. Hopps, we meet at last. I must say, it is quite intriguing to come face to face with the first human to grace the doorsteps of Zootopia." He greeted with what barely amounted to a smile, standing up and offering his large paw for Eli to shake, which he did.

"Is that still news? Its been a long time since then." Eli joked, to which the tiger offered a light chuckle.

"Yes, quite. But its nonetheless still an achievement, however small. Do have yourself a seat, dear boy."

"So, about this job you're offering me…" Eli began.

"Getting right down to business, I see. Very good. But first, tell me: are you familiar with the legend of Robin Hood?"

"The famous fox that stole from the rich and gave to the poor? Sure. My dad used to idolize the guy when he was a kit. What about him?"

"What do you think about him?"

Eli pondered before answering. "Well, I guess what he did was kind of noble. Even though he himself stole, he only stole from the rich and then gave to the poor instead of keeping it for himself." Shere Khan smiled upon hearing that.

"Precisely how I feel about him. Which brings me to the question: What if you had the opportunity to _be_ Robin Hood?"

"I'm… I'm not sure I follow…" Eli responded with a quizzical expression.

"Well you see, for the longest time now, I've had a fascination with crime and its causes, and I've discovered that most of the major crimes occur at the top, among the elites, and yet either no one notices, or they're unable to stop it. To that end, I've started a little 'side business' that puts the skills of specially talented individuals such as yourself to good use. A small band of 'Robin Hoods' so to speak, in an effort to combat this scourge."

Eli took a moment to process this, not quite believing what was being asked of him.

"So… you're saying you've hired a few thieves to steal for you, and you want me to be a part of it?" Shere Khan cringed at that.

"Heavens no! You describe it so crudely. Its more accurately the retrieval of objects that were already stolen in order to return them to their rightful owners. And that isn't our only trade. Among other things, we also conduct surveillance of potential suspects, making sure they are staying within legal limits."

"And if they aren't? Do you take any action against them?"

"Only if we feel the need to. In most cases its enough to gather incriminating evidence and leak it to the authorities."

"Speaking of which, don't you run into any troubles with the police? I highly doubt they'd approve of such vigilantism."

"We keep our operations highly covert and never leave behind any evidence that could be traced back to us. The police remain unaware of our involvement."

"Hmm… and you're basically doing all this to tackle crime? Uh, no offense sir, but as noble as your work sounds, I could do the same thing if I joined the ZPD. And I have a good chance of doing so as my parents are well known ZPD officers."

"Yes, you could do that… and then spend most of your career giving out parking tickets, arresting the occasional street thugs, hooligans, hustlers and lowlife criminal scum, aaaaand helping an elderly mammal or two cross the street while you're at it. And depending on if you're lucky or not, you _may_ or _may not_ receive a promotion before your career ends. My dear boy, you have no idea of the state of the ZPD, do you?"

"My parents tell me its doing very well, and they're keeping the crime rate in the city low."

"Of course they would say that, they are police officers after all. But let me tell you, the actual situation of the police force is… quite sad, really. The Mayor doesn't invest as much funds as he should to the police, which has resulted in quite a few issues. Recruitment is at an all-time low and shows no signs of increasing anytime soon. Because of this, promotions tend to be extremely rare as the force has a greater need for regular officers than sergeants, lieutenants and captains. Most of the criminals they catch usually have no major significance to the crime rate in Zootopia, and they are powerless to go after the _real_ criminals who matter. On top of that, they are ill equipped to handle more serious situations which are starting to increase in frequency, in part also hindered by the fact that they require the city's permission and warrants if they are to do anything. As professional as the police force is, their actions are still limited by the law. We, on the other paw, are able to investigate locations and conduct operations where the police cannot."

Eli thought about what the tiger had said. By the way he spoke, he seemed to know a lot about the police, and it didn't look like he was lying. But then… were his parents lying to him? Why would they lie? Did they think he would think less of them? No, it can't be. More than likely they weren't aware of this themselves.

"How would you know so much about what goes on with the police?" he asked. Shere Khan merely chuckled at that.

"In the business world, information is power, and I make sure I stay informed as much as possible, else I wouldn't have gotten this far."

"Okay, so even if all that were true, then why me? I don't have the kind of experience you're looking for."

"On the contrary, you possess certain skills that we lack. The rest we can easily train you."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

The tiger opened up his laptop and turned the screen around towards Eli. A video was playing on the screen showing a zoomed-in shot of what he realized was himself scaling the sides of buildings, running and jumping across rooftops and otherwise navigating the city above street level. Judging from his path and movements he realized this was from about two weeks ago and seemed to have been filmed by someone standing on another rooftop further away using a professional video camera.

"H-how did you get this?!" Eli asked with wide eyes. He had always tried his best not to be spotted while doing this. The tiger merely smirked.

"My informants are always on the search for unique skilled individuals, and you'd be surprised how much of a sharp eye they have. This is merely video evidence they gave of one of your 'excursions'. They've been observing you for quite a while now. I must say, this is highly remarkable. I never realized you humans could be so… agile, dexterous, and capable of such feats." He marveled while watching the video, glancing back at Eli to catch the worried expression on the man's face.

"Oh come now, your 'activity' was bound to catch someone's eye sooner or later. Be glad that it was me and not, say, the police, or your parents. You don't need to worry. Your secret is safe with me. But imagine for a moment, using these extraordinary skills for a good cause. Imagine your handiwork indirectly bringing relief and joy to the less fortunate. I'm willing to offer you that kind of work. Help us teach a lesson to the _real_ criminals who illegitimately live off the spoils of the lesser mammals, and we'll pay you handsomely for it as well."

Eli was conflicted. Something seemed off about this whole thing, like he was venturing into unknown territory. This wasn't some ordinary job that he was expecting to get, it seemed to involve a greater amount of risk. Yet somehow, the thought of that thrilled him. The fact that he'd be able to use his skills and get paid for it and help other mammals out in the process sounded pretty good. And of course, he didn't have many options in the job department anyways and needed a source of income. It was either this or the police force, and Eli wasn't exactly looking forward to spending a year in police academy just to give out parking tickets. Who knows, if Mr. Khan was right, then Eli's actions might have a bigger impact on crime than the police would.

"Alright. I guess you can count me in." This brought a smile to the tiger's muzzle.

"Splendid! But before we go any further, I must ask you to swear to secrecy regarding anything and everything you see, hear or do from now on. I cannot stress how much I loathe traitors and leaks and there will be serious consequences for those who betray me. And believe me when I tell you, I do eventually find out if someone has betrayed me. And they always find their end at the tips of my claws. Do I make myself clear?" Khan emphasized in a more darker, threatening tone, unsheathing his dangerously sharpened claws into the wood of his desk and carving grooves in it as he dragged them down.

"A-Absolutely sir." Eli responded, a bit taken aback by the sudden menacing tone, though Khan seemed to recover from it fairly quickly.

"Good. Welcome to Vanguard then." He announced, much more pleased than before.

"Vanguard?" Eli asked, a bit puzzled.

"Yes, it's the 'side business' I mentioned earlier. While Khan Industries is my primary line of work, Vanguard is my personal contribution towards the betterment of Zootopia. Like the vanguard at the forefront of a mighty army, we will pave the way for the rise of a new, crime and corruption free Zootopia. Come, there is something I must show you." he explained, getting up from his seat and making his way back towards his office doors, his paws behind his back as he walked. Eli complied and followed close behind right alongside Anya. He joined the two in the elevator once again but this time noticed Anya somehow opened up a hidden panel containing previously hidden buttons indicating some basement floors, with Anya pressing the button for one of those floors. The ride down was silent, but thankfully short as can be for a hundred floors. The one they had stopped on looked very different from the rest of the building, and Eli felt like he had just entered a hallway of a military research facility. There were fewer mammals to be seen around as well, and most of them were wearing lab coats or technician type outfits. They all respectfully greeted their employer as they passed by.

"This place houses my research divisions, and additionally serves as the base for all Vanguard operations. We're currently going to the technical department although we also have a chemical and medical department. The medical department is a recent addition, but should soon enable Khan Industries to compete in the pharmaceutical market, rivaling or perhaps even exceeding Horizon Corporation, which is currently the largest pharmaceutical enterprise in the country." Khan explained as he led the way down the hallways, eventually coming to a set of double doors which opened into a very large warehouse-like structure. There seemed to be a hive of activity inside, accompanied by the noise associated with a workshop. Different mechanical and electrical devices, both familiar and unfamiliar to Eli, were being worked on by various mammals in different locations around the building.

"Ah, theres professor Meyer, the chief technician in charge of this research department." Khan gestured in the direction of an approaching fossa, wearing a lab coat over his clothes like many of the others. He greeted the CEO and Anya, then turned his attention towards the newcomer, his interest piqued as soon as he laid eyes on him.

"Professor, allow me to introduce our newest recruit, Mr. Eli Hopps. Mr. Hopps, the professor here will be the one to provide you with all the equipment you will need to carry out your work. Professor, you know what to do. I suggest you get started as soon as possible. Alas, I must take my leave, I have work to attend to. Anya and the professor will show you around. Now, if you will excuse me." Khan finished, then left for the elevator.

"So, Mr. Hopps, welcome to Vanguard. I'm sure Mr. Khan must have seen something very special in you to have recruited you, so it's a pleasure to have you on board." The fossa began.

"Thank you. And please, just call me Eli. So what happens now?"

"Well, we will have to prepare your outfit and equipment. However, because of your unique species, this will take some time. But you won't be sitting idle, for they will likely use the time to train you for your particular line of work. At the moment, I can give you a tour of our laboratory, if you will just follow me."

Both Eli and Anya accompanied the professor as he showed them around the laboratory and explained some of the projects they were working on. Eli's head was constantly on a swivel, the young man in awe of the entire lab and the work being done within as the professor led them around the entire lab, eventually reaching a more secluded looking section of the lab. It was only now that Eli had begun to see the true scope of Shere Khan's operations.

A sudden series of very loud bangs made him jump in shock. Looking in the direction of the source he spotted one of the scientists standing in a range of sorts with something similar to a tranquilizer gun in his paws and aiming the weapon downrange. Although instead of firing tranquilizer darts, this particular weapon emitted a flash of light and a loud bang, and, judging by how there was a hole in the target afterwards, it fired some other kind of solid projectile at seemingly lightning-fast speed. That sound however… it sparked a familiar feeling, like he had seen and heard it before, perhaps sometime much earlier in his life.

"What… what is that?" Eli uttered, still recovering from the shock of the sound.

"Oh that? It's the result of one of our longer running projects. Generally we're referring to it as a 'firearm' although since that particular model is a prototype, it doesn't have a proper designation yet."

"I… can't explain why but… I feel like I've seen this thing before somewhere."

"That would make sense, seeing as that device came from the same place you came from. Well not _that _one exactly, but it's certainly based on one that came from your world."

That bit of information shocked him, but at the same time, jogged his memory as well. He remembered now, it was a pistol, a type of highly lethal weapon. He remembered seeing it on TV and other places as a kid before his arrival to Zootopia. He knew for a fact that this technology definitely didn't exist at the time of his arrival, so how did it get here now? He made his query known to the fossa.

"Thats a very interesting story actually. Some time back, a human was found on Mr. Khan's industrial property, having arrived in much the same way as you did. He appeared to be a soldier of some kind, and was in really bad shape, unconscious and injured to the brink of death. He carried on him some interesting pieces of equipment, including these weapons unlike anything we had seen before. We confiscated the items and were in the process of reverse-engineering them, and at the current schedule, we're mere days away from finishing a fully functional production model."

Eli frowned. He now remembered the details of these weapons, and they weren't fond memories. The introduction of such lethal weaponry to Zootopia might have drastic effects on the future of the city and the lives of the mammals within. In his mind, this couldn't possibly be a good idea.

"What does Mr. Khan intend to do with them?"

"Why, they'll be provided to the police… for a price of course."

"These things are very lethal. Isn't that a bit excessive for police use?"

"With the rise in severity of crimes, they're already searching for lethal solutions for otherwise difficult situations. Additionally, because of a few 'incidents' the ZPD felt that in some circumstances, tranquilizers weren't fast or powerful enough to take down a perpetrator in time before they could do harm. Initially they had requested research into 'venom darts', which was basically the same as regular darts but with a fast acting lethal compound instead, but even that didn't fit the bill. However once we demonstrated the 'firearm' prototype, they were very pleased with the results and asked us to produce a stock for their officers."

"I see. By the way, what happened to the man you found?"

"Oh don't worry, he was treated at the hospital and made a full recovery. However as a result of head injury, he was suffering from amnesia and didn't remember anything about his former life, including the fact that he was a soldier or had weapons with him. Mr. Khan eventually helped him integrate into Zootopian society, and last I heard he has a job and is living quite happily."

"Really? And what job would that be?"

"Oho, I'm afraid I can't tell you any more than I already have, the details are classified. For that matter, you'd also be wise not to reveal anything seen or heard here outside. Mr. Khan has eyes and ears everywhere, and he doesn't tolerate loose lips, but I'm sure he's already reminded you about that."

"Oh he definitely emphasised that point."

After finishing the remainder of the tour, the two left the professor to his work while Anya led Eli to meet his instructors. They stood at the entrance to what appeared to be some kind of exercise room, looking in to spot a leopard and a wolf sparring. They were both shirtless, only wearing a pair of pants comfortable enough for the task. The fight looked to be intense, with both parties gaining the upper paw one after the other, stopping when they spotted their visitors.

"Miss Purranova, what a pleasant surprise. And what brings such a gorgeous angel to descend from up on high all the way down to the lowly dark depths?" The leopard began in a tone that sounded a bit too intimate as he and his partner approached the pair. Anya didn't appear to be even the slightest bit amused by the overly friendly greeting.

"Unfortunately this 'angel' has to make sure all the lowlifes down here are doing their work so as not to face the wrath of 'god' up there." She pointed upwards, no doubt referring to Khan. Both of them grinned at that, their faces falling into a serious look only after they noticed Eli. They seemed to stare at him for a moment, obviously not expecting this particular species to be here.

"And who's your uh… 'friend' here?" The wolf finally asked.

"This is Eli Hopps, our newest recruit, and your responsibility to train from here onwards."

The pair examined Eli from head to toe once more.

"Huh, he doesn't look like much. What'd the boss see in him anyways?"

"Oh I'm sure you'll find out soon enough. But for now, show him the ropes. Mr. Khan wants him ready as soon as possible." She finished, leaving Eli in their care for the moment.

"Hmm, alright then."The leopard began as the two of them led the young man into the room they had been in. "First things first, I'm Ivan Kovacs, and this here is Robert Desola. We're Vanguard veterans, been working for Mr. Khan for a couple years now, and handle any new recruits, like you, so you'll be seeing us a lot for the next couple of months. Now I'm guessing you already have some skills useful to Mr. Khan, otherwise you wouldn't be here, but we'll teach you everything else you need to know, so let's take it one step at a time. Tell me, do you know how to fight?"

"Not really."

"Have you ever been in a fight?"

"Once, yeah…" Eli responded, the memory of his fight with Mason coming to mind.

"How'd that work out for you?"

"Honestly, I'm still wondering how I didn't end up in the morgue."

"Well then, we'll fix you right up. But first, let's see what you've got." Ivan stated, lifting his paws in combat stance.

"W-what? You mean… r-right now?"

"Absolutely. You heard what the lady said. Besides, I'm curious to see a human in action." The leopard grinned.

Eli gulped.


	6. Four One Seven

Anya's pen scribbled away at the documents on her desk. She was almost finished with her work for today and the thought of her accomplishment made her smile. Just a few more papers to fill and a couple of documents that required her signature before being sent off to Mr. Khan's office for his approval, and she could call it a day. It had been some time since she had left Eli in the care of his instructors, and she wondered how he was doing. She could tell Eli was a soft, gentle mammal, and there was the possibility that the training might be too harsh for him, especially with Kovacs and Desola being the sadistic bastards that they were.

The sound of her office doorbell ringing pulled her out of her thoughts and her work. "Come in!" She responded, looking up from the documents on her desk to the door to see Eli entering, looking in much worse shape than she had left him some hours ago. He had a few bruises visible on his face, as well as cuts that looked like the work of claws, though it could be seen that they had been medically treated. Anya could only assume he had more on his body as well. His suit was absolutely dishevelled, loose tie and all, looking like he had hastily and carelessly removed and worn it back on.

"Oh dear! Eli! Are you alright?!" She gasped, quickly getting up from her desk to intercept the hobbling young man. Letting him lean on her for support, she led him to one of the comfortable chairs in the lounge area of her office and set him down, examining him over.

"Let me guess, they started you off with 'self-defense' training'?" She questioned, quite expecting the answer when Eli nodded. She sighed in frustration.

"Those jerks! I was afraid they'd do something like this. And just when I thought I could trust them for once."

"They… they do this often?"

"It's their twisted idea of 'having a little fun' with recruits. I was hoping they would have grown out of it, but apparently not. You should get those cuts looked at. Get to the medical department in the basement, they'll patch you up."

"I already did. This is the best they could do."

"Then head home and get some rest."

"Are you kidding? I can't go home like this! If my parents see me like this, I'm toast!"

"You're right." She admitted, staring off into space as she tried to think of a solution. "I've got an idea! Hold on." She piped up, making her way to one corner of her office and collecting a few things before returning with what looked to be makeup supplies, leaving the man puzzled.

"Is this really the time for you to work on your appearance?"

"It's not for me, it's for you. I think I may have a color here that matches your skin. If I can just find it…" she finished, sifting through the case. It was then that Eli understood what she was trying to do.

"Got it!" She finally announced triumphantly as she pulled out a foundation that was indeed the same color as Eli's skin.

"That… why would you even _have_ that? It doesn't match your color at all."

"It came with the set I bought. Still, I'd say you're very lucky I had it on paw, don't you think?" She smiled, using a brush to carefully apply it to Eli's cuts and bruises. To her delight, it blended with Eli's skin perfectly, masking his wounds like they never existed. Speaking of which, his skin fascinated the snow leopardess, who had never been this close to his kind before, and she took the opportunity for a better look without him noticing. Her brush eventually moved on to conceal a scratch near one of Eli's eyes, and while working, her gaze inadvertently shifted to those orbs, and she found herself unable to look away. Each one was adorned with a beautifully vibrant, shimmering ring of blue that reminded her a lot of the predatory gaze of some wolves she had seen. His was softer though, revealing a kind soul, and in them she could see his youthful energy, determination and focus, as well as a slight amount of the shy and innocent but considerate and helpful young boy that he used to be, but now slowly changing to… curiosity? Wonder? Confusion?... what?...

"Miss Purranova?"

"… huh?... O-Oh! Sorry!..." she quickly apologised. She realised she had been staring with her mouth slightly agape.

"Is everything okay?"

"Y-yes, it's nothing, don't worry. And now that we're coworkers, just call me Anya."she smiled, continuing her work. In this moment, she was particularly glad that she was a snow leopardess, as her long, thick fur managed to hide the slight blush that would have otherwise made this a very embarrassing moment. Much to her relief, Eli smiled back and didn't seem to mind.

"So, let me know how it looks." She asked once she was done and led him to the nearby mirror. Surprisingly, he found that his face was clear of any evidence of injuries.

"Wow, that's some fine work you did. I look almost as good as new."

"Thanks! I've had plenty of practice, though never in covering up injuries." She giggled, picking up her things and stowing them away before sitting back at her desk.

"Seriously though, thanks. Mom and Dad will never know the difference."

"I do hope all that trouble was worth it though. Did you learn anything useful down there?"

"I picked up a few things, yeah. Though according to 'those jerks', I still have a long ways to go." Said Eli as he finished straightening up his suit and tie, making his way over to sit opposite to Anya at her desk.

"Hopefully they won't give you too much of a hard time, but in the long run, you'll be grateful for it once you're out in the field."

"I've been thinking though, what am I supposed to tell my parents? That I work for a secret vigilante crime fighting organisation? They're not gonna buy that. Or if they do, they aren't exactly gonna be happy about it."

"No need to complicate things. As far as everyone outside this building is concerned, you're a regular office worker spending your days in a cubicle here at headquarters. And don't worry, we'll maintain your cover, including reducing your pay to more believable fictional values, transferring it to an unsuspicious looking account, camouflaging your odd working hours and any injuries and removing any unwanted sightings should you be spotted on the job. In short, your friends and family won't have the faintest idea of your real line of work."

"I'd… hate to have to lie to my family…"

"Sometimes small sacrifices must be made for the greater good. And trust me you'd be doing them a favor. If they knew the truth, they'd be worrying for you day and night."

"I suppose you're right."

* * *

_Later_

Eli carefully opened the main door of his house, trying to be as quiet as possible, though he knew it was futile. Knowing his mother's hearing capabilities, he figured she would have already been aware of his arrival the moment he turned the doorknob. Throughout his way back, he had been thinking of a good way to present his cover story to his parents. He had never lied to them before. Well… _almost_ never… but he always had difficulty doing so, and often regretted it afterwards, even more so when he was caught.

Tiptoeing his way further in, he peered into the kitchen from the doorway, but he couldn't see Judy anywhere. He tried the lounge next, but she wasn't there either, and neither was Nick. That's odd. Maybe they were upstairs?

"Any good news?"

"GAH!" The sudden voice made the already nervous man jump, eyes darting to look at the source of the sound. It was Nick of course, sporting a smug grin like he had taken some delight in startling him. Judy followed a moment later, frowning at the fox, obviously displeased with his prank.

"You'll have to excuse your father sweetie. Skulking around is in his genes after all. Anyway, how was your day? Any luck?" She perked up once again, turning back to Eli.

"Oh, uh… y-yeah actually. I got the job! I finally have a job!" Eli responded, wearing his best fake smile as he knelt down to their level.

Nick was visibly surprised, while Judy looked like she couldn't contain her excitement, almost hopping in place.

"That's absolutely wonderful news honey!" She exclaimed and leapt over to her kit to hug him which he returned happily.

"See? A little patience and perseverance goes a long way. I told you you'd find something eventually." She added as the two parted. Eli's gaze landed on Nick next, who seemed a bit sceptical of the situation.

"So… everything was okay out there? They didn't torture you or anything, right? And they're not forcing you to work for them, are they?"

"N-no, of course not, nothing like that."

"Uh huh. And they didn't employ you as some kind of hired goon to beat up competition, did they?"

Eli sighed. "Dad, I'm just working as a technician in their engineering department, that's all."

"Nick, can't you just be happy for your son like a normal father without criticising everything?" Judy reprimanded. For a few moments, Nick maintained his sceptical look, arms crossed, then suddenly shrugged.

"Alright, sounds good to me. Congratulations buddy! Didn't mean to put you down back there. I'm glad everything worked out well. I'm proud of you. Really, I am." He admitted with a genuine tone and smile, placing a paw on the young man's shoulder.

"Thanks dad." Eli smiled and embraced the fox, though inside he was distressed. He wasn't happy about the lie he had told just now to the ones who cared for him so deeply, but he continuously tried convincing himself that it wouldn't be too bad just to keep this one secret now… would it?

* * *

_A few days later_

The street lamps and the lights from the nearby buildings were about the only things illuminating the nighttime darkness that blanketed the snowy streets of Tundratown. A few mammals were still out on the streets, and the only sound was the gentle blowing of the snowy wind aside from the occasional car passing by. One particular car however blazed at full speed through the otherwise peaceful streets, the police cruiser kicking up snow as it sped down roads and swerved around corners, apparently in a hurry to get somewhere.

"Dispatch, this is officers Kellaway and Doyle, we're approaching the reported scene of disturbance."

"Copy that. The caller claims seeing two suspicious individuals lurking around the premises of Horizon's labs. He noted they looked like they meant business. Use caution when confronting."

"Will do, out." The zebra officer finished and placed the radio back on the dashboard receiver just as his partner parked the car right outside the Horizon Corporation's laboratory building, located in a more isolated area close to the edge of the district.

"Great, just great. Nothing better than spending the freezing Tundratown night out in the cold." The camel officer complained as he set the parking brake.

"Then let's hope it's just a false alarm so we can get back as soon as possible. Look on the bright side, at least you might get to see some action like you always wanted."

"Very funny Kellaway." The camel snorted before both of them opened their doors and stepped out of the cruiser. They searched the outside of the building but found nothing, though as a precaution, they decided to check inside as well. Entering the lobby, they found the night guard's desk empty… or so they thought. Upon closer inspection, they found the guard, a goat, collapsed behind the desk.

"Shit!" Kellaway rushed forth to examine the body. "He's alive! He's still breathing, just knocked out."

"Still think it's a false alarm?" Doyle asked sarcastically as both officers pulled out their dart guns. Kellaway merely glared back at him as he reached for his radio.

"This is officer Kellaway, we have a situation at the Horizon labs, send backup and an ambulance too, we've got one injured here."

The response from dispatch was positive, but it would be a while before help would arrive. They were on their own for now.

"Keep your eyes peeled and hoof on the trigger." Kellaway warned, with Doyle nodding in compliance. The two ventured further into the building, eventually coming upon another lobby where the elevators were located, as well as the culprits responsible for the break in. Two cheetahs were busy with one of the locked elevator doors, trying to get it open using various tools. They didn't look like your ordinary thieves, seemingly well equipped for whatever task they had in mind. Unfortunately for the officers, they spotted them as soon as they rounded the corner and immediately bolted for the back exit.

"Police! Hold it right there!" Doyle called out, both officers firing off a dart when they didn't comply. However, the perpetrators were too fast for an accurate shot so both darts missed.

"Fucking cheetahs!" Doyle hissed as he reloaded his weapon, and was stopped by Kellaway just as he was about to follow.

"They may try to head back to the front of the building. You go out the front entrance just in case." Kellaway ordered Doyle, who nodded and made for the main doors while Kellaway himself pursued them through the hallways that led to the back exit, remembering to reload his gun as well. Arriving outside, he spotted the two cats crossing the road and ducking into an alley on the other side. He wasted no time in following.

"Doyle, I've got them! They've ducked into an alley just across the road on the west side! Get here as fast as you can!" The zebra relayed on his radio as he sprinted over, pursuing them deeper into the alley until he rounded another corner, stopping as soon as he saw the pair.

BANG!

Kellaway felt something impact him squarely in the chest. It felt like taking a punch from a rhino, but focused in a smaller area, and the force was enough to make him stumble back a step or two. Looking at the culprits, one of them was aiming what appeared to be a gun of some sort at the officer, smoke emanating from its end, but what it fired certainly didn't feel like the prick of a dart. When he started feeling pain in his chest, he looked down at himself, horrified by the sight. There was a small hole in his chest, now bleeding profusely, and the pain was becoming more and more excruciating. It was getting harder to breathe, and he was feeling dizzy to the point he collapsed. He placed a hoof on the wound to try and reduce the bleeding and noticed the culprits had escaped by now. His vision began deteriorating and sounds started seeming like distant echoes, although he could hear hoofsteps approaching him, getting louder until the blurry image of Doyle appeared in his sight.

"Dh…Doyle?"

"Oh fuck! Kellaway! What did they do to you?!" He gasped, equally shocked at the state of his partner as he fumbled around for his radio.

"This is Doyle over at Horizon labs, I have an officer down, repeat, officer down! I need that ambulance here ASAP!" He practically screamed into his radio before tending to his friend.

"Hang in there, help is on the way. You're gonna be fine!" He tried to assure, though the growing pool of blood underneath the zebra wasn't a very optimistic sign.

"C-can't… breathe… hurts… b-bad…" Kellaway wheezed, feeling his sight darkening and his eyes getting heavier like he was extremely sleepy. Doyle was trying everything he could to at least keep his friend alive until the ambulance arrived, his voice wavering the more he realised how futile his actions were, but at some point, no matter how much he assured him, the voice faded away till he couldn't understand him anymore, replaced mainly by the sounds of him struggling to breathe. His final thoughts drifted towards his family, how he wouldn't see them again, nor they him, thoughts of his good days and the time spent with them, glimpses of his youth and adulthood, everything leading up to today, until his eyes closed for the last time and he took his final breath.


	7. Opening Moves

_The next day_

The door of the bullpen opened to reveal a familiar fox and rabbit entering the room. The atmosphere in the room was as they had expected, gloomy and depressing, much like they themselves were feeling. They took their seat and waited for the chief, who arrived a few minutes later, right on time as always. There was no thumping on the tables and no commotion like there often was, and Bogo understood the reason. He walked over to the podium and placed the folder he was carrying on it, addressing the officers with a sigh.

"Morning gentlemammals. I'd hate to have to start the day with bad news, but it's best to get it over with. I'm sure you're all already aware of this, but yesterday we lost one of our finest. Officer Brian Kellaway of the Zootopia Police Department Precinct Three in Tundratown was killed in the line of duty last night. Of course, this comes as devastating news, as we rarely ever lose officers in the line of duty. Kellaway was a good officer, and with the force already facing a lack of experienced officers, his loss will be greatly felt throughout the ranks. I know you are all anxious to know what exactly happened, so I have with me a report made by officer Doyle, Kellaway's partner, about the incident." Bogo opened the folder and donned his reading glasses, focusing on the document.

"According to this, at 11:00 hours a caller reported a disturbance at Horizon labs. At 11:05 dispatch radioed for any nearby officers to respond and Kellaway and Doyle offered to investigate. At 11:15 Kellaway reported their arrival at the scene. At 11:35 the two officers completed a search of the outer premises and proceeded to investigate inside. They found the guard unconscious and radioed for backup. At 11:43 they encountered two suspects who fled upon being confronted. This is where the two officers split up. Doyle proceeded to the front entrance to intercept them just in case while Kellaway pursued them out the back. At 11:46 Kellaway radioed Doyle to arrive at his position. While running there, Doyle reported hearing a loud bang coming from Kellaway's position. Upon reaching there, he found Kellaway laying on the ground bleeding heavily from a wound in his chest. Doyle says he has no idea of what could have caused the wound but he suspects the noise had something to do with it. He reports the suspects had fled the scene by then. At 11:56 hours… Kellaway expired. At 11:57, backup and paramedics arrived at the scene. Afterwards, officers secured the area and Doyle, the night guard and Kellaway's body were evacuated from the scene."

When Bogo finished, all those present in the room had a look of either shock, horror or sorrow. Bogo removed his glasses, stowed them in his pocket and closed the folder. He waited for a moment to let everyone absorb the information, as well as just in case anyone had any questions. One officer raised his paw.

"Do we have an ID on the perps?"

"All we know is that they were cheetahs, but that doesn't help all that much considering the number of citizens that fit that description. We still need more information if we are to narrow the results." Bogo answered, only to be faced with another question by a different officer.

"Any idea what the perps were doing at Horizon labs?"

"None, unfortunately. Officers reviewing the scene found evidence of the perps trying to force open the elevator doors. Beyond that, nothing else as of yet. Without any further evidence, we can only treat this as a robbery attempt, although I have no idea what anyone would want to steal from a pharmaceutical laboratory." As soon as Bogo finished, another officer raised his paw.

"Did they find out what killed Kellaway?"

"As you heard from the report, Doyle doesn't know, but he tried his best to describe it. The only other clue we have is the initial coroner's report. According to him, something penetrated with high velocity and force into Kellaway's chest cavity, tore through his heart and left lung and made an exit wound out of his back. However, perhaps we'll know more once we have the full report by the end of the day. Any other questions?" Bogo asked. When nobody else spoke up, he continued.

"Indeed a very tragic turn of events, but rest assured, we are investigating the incident, and Kellaway's killers _will_ be brought to justice. There will be a funeral held tomorrow. Attendance is mandatory for all officers. Now, onto your assignments for today…"

Bogo handed out the assignments one by one. Of course, as was usual, Nick and Judy were the last ones to receive theirs.

"Hopps, Wilde, a bit of change for you today. Precinct Three were in desperate need of an experienced officer to replace Kellaway, so I had to transfer one of ours there. Precinct Two in the Rainforest district have agreed to spare an officer as replacement, but he's a rookie, just joined a week ago, by the name of 'Kevin Leggett'. He should be arriving here soon. I'm assigning him to you two. I want you two to show him the ropes, show him how we do things here at Precinct One, and take him with you on your patrols. In short, train him. Do you think you can handle it, Corporal?" He asked, specifically addressing Judy.

"Absolutely sir! You can count on us."

"Yep, we'll whip him into shape for ya." Nick followed. Coming from him, that didn't sound very assuring to Bogo, who groaned and rolled his eyes before dismissing them, praying that he wouldn't regret this decision.

Outside in the lobby, the pair waited for their new arrival, choosing to spend the time conversing with Clawhauser at his desk, made all the more difficult by the constant noise of the construction work taking place nearby. Nobody was happy with the commotion, but it was probably a sign of an improvement to the station so they endured it. After a while, the three spotted an officer they didn't recognise entering the station. It was a grey-furred lynx, wearing large round spectacles, about the same size as Nick, and a very nervous looking one at that. He timidly walked to the middle of the lobby and stood there awkwardly, looking here and there at his surroundings and the other mammals around.

"Ten bucks says that's our guy." Nick began.

"No bets, I'd agree." Judy answered as the two walked over to him.

"Hi there! You must be officer Kevin Leggett. Welcome to Precinct One. I'm Corporal Judy Hopps and this is my partner officer Nick Wilde. You're gonna be with us for a while."

"Uh… y-yes ma'am! Officer Leggett reporting for d-duty ma'am!" He blurted out, immediately standing at attention and giving her a salute, all the while trembling uncontrollably. Nick barely contained his laugh, ending up sniggering instead, and Judy was left bewildered.

"Um… okay… well, it's great to have you on board, Kevin." She finished awkwardly, though trying to be as nice as possible.

"At ease there Private Panicky, no one's gonna court-martial you here." Nick grinned, with Judy glaring sideways at him.

"S-sorry sir. I-I can be a little nervous at times. On top of that, I-I wasn't even adjusted back in Precinct Two and I've b-been transferred here. T-this is a bit… o-overwhelming for me." He replied, still shaking slightly.

"So… you've always had the shakes?" Nick asked, to which he nodded.

"How the heck did you even pass the police induction test?"

"You know, I've always wondered the same thing about _you_ Nick." Judy countered, earning an annoyed frown from Nick.

"Anyway, Leggett is a member of Precinct One now and it's our job to get him adjusted." She continued, then turned her attention back to the lynx. "So follow us and we'll show you around."

"Uh… b-by the way, i-if you don't mind me asking, what's all that noise? I-Its making me nervous."

"Oh, yeah we've had some construction work going on since the past week. I heard they're expanding the station with a new wing, as well as building a helipad on the roof." Judy answered as she led him further in.

"Better get used to the noise pal, I think it's gonna be a while before they're done." Nick added.

"Oh hey, you haven't met Clawhauser yet, let me introduce you to him…" Judy piped up.

* * *

_Meanwhile_

Eli once again found himself navigating the jungle within Shere Khan's office. This was his second visit so far, the first being the one on his first day here, though he had come to know that Mr. Khan didn't call mammals up to his office that often, very much preferring his privacy and solitude. He found the tiger at his desk working on his laptop and walked up to him, stopping right in front.

"You called for me, Mr. Khan?"

"Yes, indeed I did. Have a seat, dear boy." He replied, though his attention was still focused on his work. Eli sat down as instructed, patiently waiting for him to continue.

"Now then, how are we today?" He finally continued after a moment, looking up from his laptop to Eli.

"As fine as can be, sir."

"And how are you finding your training? Everything going well?"

"Admittedly, it's a bit exhausting. But on the plus side, I'm picking up a lot of interesting things."

"Wonderful to hear that. I receive regular reports about your progress, and you've been learning fast and performing well. Your instructors are quite pleased with you, as am I."

"Thank you sir." Eli smiled.

"Which is why I feel that you're ready to take on something a little more challenging. I'm sending you out into the field." Khan revealed. This immediately wiped the smile off of Eli's face.

"B-but sir, my training isn't finished yet. And the equipment isn't ready either."

"I'm aware of that, and I have already taken those factors into consideration. You won't need them for this operation. The skills you possess should be more than enough."

"… Alright sir, if you say so. So what do you need me to do?"

"A simple retrieval task." Khan said, as he picked up a remote from his desk drawer and pressed a button on it. It caused a TV screen to emerge from the floor behind him. Another button press and the image of what seemed to be a beautifully coloured and brilliantly cut red gem appeared on the screen. Khan turned around in his chair to face the screen as he spoke.

"This is the 'Blood Diamond'. Don't be fooled by the name though, it's basically an oversized and _very_ valuable ruby. It was discovered in the nation of Kusari, located in the far east, in ancient times by the natives, who named it as such since they hadn't previously encountered rubies and had no word for it in their language. The gem holds a significant place in Kusari history, as it was for a long time passed from emperor to emperor as a symbol of their power. However, years ago the gem was stolen and the culprit never found. Despite their best efforts, the authorities could not find it again, and the gem was considered forever lost… that is, until today." Khan paused and pressed the button again, changing to the next slide, which showed a photograph of a finely dressed panda.

"This is Mr. Napoleon Hwong from Kusari, a supposed 'businessmammal' and an avid collector of antiquities. Background information on him reveals he left his country shortly after the Blood Diamond was stolen. Coincidence? I think not. He's been hiding in Zootopia avoiding capture by posing as a businessmammal running a company for the last few years. We believe he has the ruby in his possession and is planning to auction it off at a secret meeting at the Palm Oasis hotel. This may be the only opportunity we have to retrieve the gem before we lose it forever. Your objective is to 'liberate' the ruby from Mr. Hwong's filthy paws and bring it back here so we can return it to the Kusaris."

"Wait, why haven't the police moved in on him in all these years?" Eli asked.

"As far as they are concerned, Hwong's business practices here are perfectly legal, and they are unaware of what he had done in his home country. The police aren't even aware of the existence of the ruby or its significance, so they can't really arrest him if they don't know what he has stolen."

"I see. So, the Palm Oasis huh? I've passed by it often, but only saw it from the outside. Dad said we're too poor to 'defile it's luxuriously sacred grounds and offend it's vastly opulent patronage'. He always had a way with words." Eli chuckled.

"Well then, consider yourself lucky. You've won yourself a one-night stay at one of the luxury suites, all expenses paid by me. So have fun and enjoy. But remember you have work to do there as well."

"And how am I gonna go about this? I doubt I could just waltz in there and take the thing."

"Absolutely not. You're going to have to get creative about this. You're not alone however, we will provide whatever assistance we can. Firstly, you'll need to be able to mingle among the guests, for which my tailor will provide you with a fine suit. You will also have the use of my limousine and chauffeur, who will drop you off and pick you up the next day. The hotel's receptionist is also working for us, and of course, Anya will be your coordinator, monitoring your progress in the background and providing guidance where needed.

Once you reach the hotel, contact the receptionist. He will inform you of Hwong's suite number and provide you with a small case with a hidden compartment to store the ruby. Once you find your room, you're free to spend the day however you wish, but remember to find the time to scout out Hwong's room and routine, and any possible ways you can obtain the ruby. Try to make your move at night, it's the safest option. It is likely by the next morning Hwong will raise the alarm, so you should exfiltrate before noon. Once you've left, the receptionist has access to the security room and will assist Anya in altering any security camera footage of you. Afterwards, he will remove your name from the guestbook along with any other evidence of your stay before the police arrive. To ensure your anonymity, you'll be staying there under a false name, which will also double as the password for the receptionist to recognise you."

"Okay, got it. And when do I leave for the hotel?"

"Tomorrow, first thing in the morning when you get here and change into your new suit. And remember to speak with Anya before you leave today. She will discuss further details with you. Now, do you have any other questions?"

"None that I can think of at the moment."

"Then that is all. You may return to your work." Khan finished, retrieving an elegant and expensive looking pipe and tobacco from his desk drawer and placing it into the pipe, then lighting it up with a match, smoking away casually as he reclined in his chair. Eli observed for a moment as he got up slowly, realising he had never actually seen anyone smoking a pipe in his life. Who even did that in this day and age? As he turned around and left, the tiger watched him carefully, as if thinking something. Shortly after he left, Khan pressed the button on his desk phone to connect to Anya's office. Immediately her voice came through from the other side.

"Yes Mr. Khan?"

"Have the brothers arrived?"

"Yes they're here Mr. Khan."

"Send them up to my office. I need to have a word with them."

"At once sir."

A while later, Khan's office doors opened to allow two nearly identical looking cheetahs in. Reaching Khan's desk, they saw him standing further back next to his window, staring out at the scenery outside, his back towards them, paws behind his back and his tail twitching in an agitated manner. He was holding a rolled up newspaper in one paw.

"How may we be of service sir?" One of them spoke, announcing their presence. Khan didn't move or turn to regard them at all, continuing to stare out the window.

"Come closer." He said simply. This confused the cheetahs, but they obeyed and stepped past the large desk until they were a few feet away from him.

"Closer." He insisted again. The two smaller cats gave each other looks and hesitated, but eventually took a few more steps until they were almost right behind him. In what felt like a flash, the tiger roared, swiftly spun around and smacked the cheetahs across from the right. His paw impacted both cats, claws unsheathed, and with enough strength to send them flying back and on the floor.

"You utter imbeciles! Do you realise what you've done?!" Khan roared, absolutely furious. The cheetahs cowered on the floor as he took a few steps closer until he was looming over them. The right one had taken the full impact of Khan's paw, and so sported four scars from his claws on his left cheek, while the other one took the lesser impact resulting in only two scars on the left side of his muzzle. Khan flung the newspaper he was carrying at the two cats. It unrolled after smacking them, allowing them to glance at the headline written in bold on the front page. '_ZPD mourns it's first loss in years._' It read.

"Not only did you fail in your mission, _you killed a police officer!_" He emphasised with bared teeth. The brothers could only mewl and tremble in fear, until one of them gathered enough courage to speak.

"B-but we… we had to!... He was following us… we couldn't r-risk him-"

"Have you idiots looked at yourself in the mirror lately?! You two are cheetahs! You should've had no issues outrunning him!" Khan countered. The brothers remained speechless.

"That firearm you've been issued is _not_ a bloody toy! I gave it to you for a specific purpose, and you end up using it to shoot, of all the bloody mammals in the world, a police officer!" Khan snarled. The brothers didn't speak for fear of retribution. The tiger sighed out his remaining frustration and buried his face in his paw, his head shaking.

"This is going to complicate matters. The police will be more involved in the investigation now that it's a personal matter for them. My worry is that this could end up placing me in their spotlights. All my efforts into staying discreet could potentially be ruined thanks to this one incident. I'll have to be much more careful in the future." He moved to his chair and sat down while the cheetahs picked themselves up and cautiously moved to stand in front of his desk, their scars dripping fresh blood onto it.

"I would have gutted you two if you weren't valuable assets to Vanguard. However, I am revoking your firearm privileges. From now on you'll be going in unarmed. Consider those scars a reminder not to get on my bad side. Disappoint me again, and I'll aim for your throats next time. Now get out of my sight!" He finished. The cheetahs said nothing and simply obeyed, leaving the angered tiger alone. Khan noticed the spots of blood on his desk and wiped them off, staring at his now red stained paw, then proceeded to lick the blood clean off of it. The taste was satisfying, pandering to the wilder primal predator within him.

* * *

_Later_

Eli heard the main door of the house opening and immediately brightened up. As expected, a particular uniformed bunny entered past the doorway of the living room, followed by a familiar fox, although the man noticed both of them were a little less cheerful than they usually were. Their expressions changed upon seeing him sitting on the couch however.

"Oh, Eli! You're back early today. How are you sweetie? Everything fine at work?" Judy smiled as she and Nick walked up to and hugged their son.

"I'm good mom. Just the usual day at work." He answered, after returning the hug. "Although, just to let you guys know, we're lagging behind on our project, so I've been asked to stay the night there tomorrow to get in some extra work hours and catch up. So yeah, I won't be coming back home tomorrow."

"That… seems kinda weird for an employer to keep his employees past their shift." Nick noted.

"I know, but on the plus side he did promise to pay us extra for the added hours." Eli finished, though Nick didn't seem entirely convinced but dropped the matter for now.

"What about you guys? How'd it go? You don't look as upbeat as usual. Rough day?" Eli asked.

"No honey, it's just that… well… an officer was killed on duty last night. The news came as a shock to all of us, since we haven't lost an officer in a _very_ long time. We're going to attend his funeral tomorrow." Judy sighed.

"Oh… gosh, mom… I'm… I'm really sorry..." Eli apologised, and was immediately struck with a tinge of worry as he remembered his parents were also in the same profession and had just as much chance to go. He didn't even want to _think_ of the prospect of what he would do if something happened to… no... he shoved even the very beginnings of such thoughts aside.

"It's alright Eli. I suppose that kind of risk, however small, does come with the job." Judy consoled, stroking his arm.

"What happened anyway? How'd he die?"

"Details aren't all that clear, but his partner said he heard a loud bang, and arrived to find the officer with a hole in his chest."

This immediately rung a bell in Eli's mind and he was lost in thought for a moment.

"A bang… and a hole…" he muttered.

"What?" Nick questioned, snapping the young man out of his trance.

"Uh… n-nothing dad. I'm just… uh… shocked at the news myself. Anyways, I better go and get ready for dinner." He declared, then went off to his room. Nick and Judy watched him leave before Nick spoke up.

"You ever feel like something weird is going on with that kid?"

"He's probably just stressed out, Nick. After all, he has to stay the night at his workplace, and he just learned of an officer's death. Not exactly things you'd be relaxed about."


	8. Baptism of Fire

**Hey guys! I hope you're all enjoying the story and thank you for following me so far. So I could use a bit of input from you guys here on a particular subject: The thing is, this chapter features a bit of action (in particular, regarding Eli's movements) and there will be similar future chapters, so I need to know if I'm describing these sequences well enough for you guys to understand. If you are having difficulty understanding, let me know so I can improve future chapters.**

**Thanks, and now onto the chapter...**

* * *

_The next morning_

Eli sat in thought as he stared out the window of the limousine at the passing Sahara Square scenery. He always did like the architecture and environment of this place. It was a part of Zootopia, yet no matter how many times he came here, it always felt so foreign, like he had entered another country. The looming form of the iconic Palm Oasis hotel had been visible since he had entered the district, even with an almost twenty minute drive left! It was a testament to the structure's massive size.

"Three minutes sir." The chauffeur called out from the front to prepare him once they were closer.

"Yes, thank you." Eli responded, mentally checking off items to make sure he didn't miss anything. He had more or less everything he needed for this assignment. He was wearing a dark grey three piece suit courtesy of Mr. Khan's tailor, and had been groomed well under the chairmammal's supervision to make him look worthy of a penthouse suite at this prestigious hotel. He sifted through his pocket and retrieved an earpiece with a built-in microphone given to him for communications, placing it into his ear. It was quite the useful little trinket constructed by Khan's research division, small enough that it wouldn't be noticed by anyone else.

"Radio check." He spoke.

"Reading you loud and clear. How's it on your end?" Came the voice of Anya in the earpiece.

"Crystal clear. So, is everything ready?"

"Absolutely. Just follow the plan we discussed and rehearsed. And don't worry, I'm here to help out anytime you need. First order of business is to contact the receptionist."

"Right. I'll let you know as soon as I get in touch." Eli finished just as the limousine entered the premises of the hotel. This was the first time he had seen the structure from this close, and it was indeed a marvel of engineering and design. Even the grounds of the hotel contained an intricately designed and maintained garden that looked completely different compared to the rest of Sahara Square. The limousine stopped at the guest drop off point that featured a path leading through a part of the luxurious garden till the actual entrance doors. Other mammals could also be seen arriving and departing in their own vehicles. The chauffeur exited the vehicle then went back to Eli's side door and opened it for him, allowing the man to get out as well. Now no longer in the air conditioned car, the full force of the typical Sahara Square heatwave struck him like a speeding train, though the lush vegetation in the garden helped to reduce the effect somewhat. Eli spent a moment taking in the sights and sounds around him. His family could only _dream_ of even just standing within these grounds, and here he was about to spend a whole day and night here. How circumstances seem to change overnight.

"I will return tomorrow before noon to retrieve you as per Mr. Khan's instructions. Good luck, sir." The tiger said. Eli thanked him, and the chauffeur sat back in the driver's seat and left. Eli casually made his way through the garden path towards the entrance, already impressed with the beauty of the garden and the work that had gone into it. It actually looked like an oasis in the middle of the desert complete with numerous palm trees, jungle-like vegetation and fountains that simulated the pools of water. Appropriately themed benches were placed in various spots for guests to relax and enjoy the garden, although most seemed to prefer hanging about the water pools, some even drinking from it or playing with it. As was usual, Eli's appearance garnered considerable amount of stares from the other mammals around, and it almost made him wish he was any species other than human. Normally he was used to it and wouldn't care so much, but in his current line of work, getting everyone's attention was the last thing he'd want, and it only made his mission that much harder. He stopped at the large revolving doors that separated the outside of the hotel from the inside and took a deep breath.

_"Okay Eli, you can do this buddy."_

Gathering his courage, he pushed his way past the doors, seemingly entering another world. It was like entering a palace, intricately designed and lavishly decorated with vibrant colours and expensive materials of the highest quality. Eli wasn't entirely sure but from the looks of things he guessed a lot more money had gone into presentation here than what he saw in 'The Fang', though it made sense as this was a luxury hotel while the other was more of an office building.

_"Boy, do I wish mom and dad were here to see this."_

The patronage was appropriately classed as well. Wealthy mammals of all sizes, species and caliber wearing all manner of fancy garb wandered the lobby, and judging by the clothing, many of the guests here were foreign nationals. Some of them were lined up at the reception desk to check in or out. The desk itself was almost centrally located in the lobby, right at the base of a very large tree whose canopy almost reached the lobby roof, and was mammaled by two receptionists, a giraffe that attended the larger guests and a deer attending to medium and small sized guests. Eli wondered if the tree was real, and if it was, then how in the world did they manage to grow it indoors like that. He stood in the line of mammals being attended to by the deer and waited until it was finally his turn.

"Good morning sir and welcome to the Palm Oasis hotel, how may I help you?" The deer greeted after a moment's hesitation of coming to grips with Eli's species.

"Good morning. I'm here to stay for one night, and I'm told I already have a room booked in my name."

"And what name would that be sir?" The deer asked, looking down at the computer before him ready to type the name and retrieve the appropriate information.

"Mr. Charles Darwin." Eli answered, using the false name he had been given. The deer froze and his head shot back up to stare wide eyed at the man before him. It took him a moment to recover enough to respond.

"I… I see…in that case, I'd have to ask you how much that diamond is worth to you?"

"More than my blood." Eli answered. This was the query and response needed to confirm Eli's identity to the receptionist, who stared at him intently with a serious expression for a few moments before he turned around, seemingly looking for something in a cabinet behind him then returning to Eli. On the desk he placed a keycard and a small suitcase.

"Here's the key to your suite, number 5, and… the case you'll need. Mr. Hwong is residing in suite number 8. After you're done, come to me before noon tomorrow to check out." He finished. Eli took both items, thanked the deer and made for the elevators, making sure to inform Anya of the successful contact as he had been instructed. The suite given to him was on the topmost floor, mainly because Hwong was staying on that same floor as well. He couldn't help but feel giddy upon reaching his suite's door, and was visibly surprised and pleased upon opening it. It was gigantic, almost a whole apartment on its own, furnished with top-of-the-line expensive furniture and appliances, and he felt like the rooms within were bigger than the rooms in his own house.

_"Huh, Mr. Khan sure doesn't spare any expense."_

Once he finished looking around, Eli set the suitcase on a table and opened it. It contained a few sets of clothes, such as a pair of night suits, a pair of casual outfits, a couple of formal shirts and trousers and some swimwear, all tailored for human physique. Removing the clothes, he searched the lining of the case and stumbled upon a small button, well hidden from view. Pushing it opened up a compartment on the outside of the case with just enough space to place something that might fit in the palm of his hand. It seemed good enough to hide his 'special cargo' in plain sight.

Eli knew he still had some time to himself and he'd never get an opportunity like this again, so after getting settled into his room he decided to check out the amenities, exploring the spacious bathroom, checking out the balcony, playing around with the giant screen TV and whatever other fancy electronics he found there. He was like a kid in a toy store all over again. Once again, he wished his father was here, he knew he would've gone all out enjoying the place to its fullest. Afterwards he flopped onto the gigantic bed in the large bedroom, loving how he could spread his arms and legs while laying in the centre and still he had seemingly miles of bed remaining on all sides. Oh yeah, he'd definitely sleep well tonight!

But now wasn't the time, there was still so much to explore, and Eli didn't know where to start! The hotel offered a multitude of facilities, and he was determined to experience them all, although he understood that Mr. Khan was paying for his expenses so he made it a point to try and keep them to a minimum. He changed into his swimwear and decided to have fun in the hotel's pool… and quickly started feeling like that was a bad idea, as the other patrons at the pool seemed to find it the best opportunity to take in the sight of his furless form.

_"Seriously though, whats up with that? There oughta be a law against staring at humans!"_

He would probably have left had he not spotted Mr. Hwong sunning there in one of the chairs, so for the sake of the mission he decided to stick around just to observe the panda, and get in some swimming at the same time. All in all, the pool area was gorgeous, surrounded by vegetation to make it look as much like a natural waterhole, while keeping a clean appearance throughout. Eli felt he could actually enjoy the place were it not for him being the centre of everyone's attention. Luckily, the longer he stayed there, the more the guests became used to him and began minding their own business.

After a while, the panda left for the sauna and Eli followed him. Throughout the day in the course of observing him, he ended up following him almost all over the hotel, including the swimming pool, sauna, gym, spa, restaurant, bar and even the casino, which turned out to be his second favourite place there, and he ended up having a little too much fun with the slot machines. The temptations made it all the more harder to keep an eye on Hwong, but at least Eli's luck seemed to cash out well, as he had accumulated a decent amount of money in winnings. While attending to one of the slot machines, he felt a tap on his leg and looked down to his side to see a fox waiter standing there.

"Excuse me sir, but the gentlemammal at the table over there has requested your presence." He said, pointing to the aforementioned 'gentlemammal', who, much to Eli's surprise, happened to be none other than Mr. Hwong himself, sitting at a poker table nearby with a few other guests.

"Uh… thank you." He addressed the waiter and gulped. Had he noticed he was following him? Was his cover blown? He hoped not, for he had no way of defending himself save for the partial self defence training he had received, and even that might not be enough. He readjusted his tie, neatened his suit and carefully walked over to the table, greeted by a smile from the panda.

"Hello and welcome! You're the human from the pool, right?"

"Y-Yes, I am."

"Silly me, of course you are, I needn't even ask, you're the only human currently in the hotel after all. I could see you were quite the fascinating spectacle there. You managed to capture everyone's attention." He chuckled, though Eli wasn't amused. "But of course, where are my manners. I'm Mr. Napoleon Hwong." He introduced, offering a paw to shake.

"Charles Darwin. Pleasure to meet you." He shook his paw, though his tone implied otherwise, but Hwong didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Likewise. Say, I've been watching you for a while now and I can't help but notice you've got yourself a lucky paw there. We've got an open seat for one more and I was wondering if you'd like to test that luck with a friendly game of poker… that is, if you're up for the challenge." He offered. Eli was initially hesitant and wanted to get to a safe distance before things got out of hand, but he realised this could be a good opportunity to find out where Hwong was hiding the ruby. He accepted the offer and sat down on the empty chair opposite to the panda, with his other two friends on either side. They played a few rounds and talked about random subjects. Eli discovered that Hwong was quite the skillful player. He lost some of his money to the panda, but won some back later on. Overall, it ended up more or less as a draw. Although throughout the time, Eli watched him very carefully, but didn't once see any hint of the ruby anywhere on him.

"You play very well, I'm impressed. Not many mammals last that long against me. Where did you learn to play?" Hwong asked.

"My dad taught me. We've been playing since I was a kit. It's one of his favourite pastimes."

"Oh, he's a gambling mammal, eh? I'd very much enjoy playing against him sometime. If you're any indication of his skill, then I bet he'd be a worthy opponent."

"You never know, maybe someday…"

"Quite. Now if you'll excuse me, I shall retire to my room. It was nice meeting you. Good night." He yawned, then left the table.

_"Well that was an awkward encounter."_ Eli thought as he pretended to head off in a different direction, not expecting to actually meet and talk to his target. He was on edge the whole time, but luckily the panda didn't seem to have caught on to his true identity or intentions. He followed him at a distance till he reached his room, with Eli doing the same in his own room, where he changed into casual wear and began thinking.

All in all, Mr. Hwong fully enjoyed all the amenities offered by the hotel, giving Eli the same opportunity much to his fortune. But throughout his observations, Eli didn't see him with the Blood Diamond at any time, and he could only conclude that the gem must be in his room.

_"Now that he's gone into his room, the door's locked and there's no way to open it again without the keycard, which he has in his possession all the time, and there doesn't seem to be any other way in, unless…"_ Eli thought as his gaze fell on the balcony of his suite and he went over to inspect it, opening the sliding glass doors to step outside into the warm, nighttime desert air. He realised Hwong would be having a balcony too, and immediately looked at the wall off the side of the balcony to find a route. He grinned, then went back in. All that was left to do now was wait until Hwong was asleep.

Eli waited until midnight to make his move, hoping that the panda would be asleep by now. He stepped back out onto the balcony, taking another look off the side down below, and gulped.

_"Ho boy, it's a long way down, I better not fall. Get it together Eli, you've done this many times before! Just not… that often with buildings this tall… and with no other buildings nearby…"_

Steeling himself, he vaulted off it's side to grab onto it's edge, moving sideways until he reached close to a ledge on the hotel's exterior wall that formed part of the 'palm tree bark' design. He jumped off to grab it and continued moving sideways along the wall until he reached the next suite's balcony, then pulled himself up onto it. Luckily, the lights inside were off and the occupants were sleeping. The man quietly crossed the balcony till the other side then vaulted off to grab its side, again moving sideways along the wall till reaching the next balcony. However this suite had it's lights on, the occupants probably awake, and Eli couldn't risk being spotted while crossing, so he decided to take a detour. He let go of the ledge and fell down till he grabbed the ledge on a lower level, in between his floor and the lower one, moving sideways underneath that particular balcony. Once he had bypassed it completely, he found a small vertical crack in the wall, just large enough for him to stick his fingers into, then used it and a couple other irregularities to climb back up to his floor, continuing sideways again until he finally reached Hwong's balcony.

Carefully he peeked over the side to make sure the lights were off before pulling himself up onto the balcony and making his way to the sliding glass doors. He opened it quietly then snuck in, pleased to find that the panda was snoring away blissfully. Using the light from his smartphone, he found the panda's briefcase and placed it on the nearby desk. Opening it revealed it to be full of everyday office paraphernalia, but sifting through it he found a small case that caught his interest. As he had hoped, it contained exactly what he was looking for. Fitting perfectly inside an indentation in the box rested the Blood Diamond in all it's glory. Eli picked it up and admired it for a moment. It looked much larger in real life, just barely fitting in the palm of his hand. Stowing the stone in his pocket, he closed the case and briefcase and placed it where it originally was, then snuck to the balcony and retraced his path back to his own suite, breathing a sigh of relief. The hard part was over, and Eli informed Anya of his success. All that was left was to leave tomorrow, so he immediately stored the jewel in the secret compartment of his case then went off to bed.

Eli awoke to a sharp and loud beeping noise. Opening his eyes, he realised the noise was coming from the earpiece he had placed on his side table. Looking at the clock revealed it was 9 am. He wore the earpiece to be greeted by Anya's voice, sounding very urgent.

"Finally! I was trying to contact you for ages! Where the hell were you?" She began.

"Sorry, wasn't expecting a wake up call yet. What happened?"

"Hwong found out about the ruby and he's called the police. They'll be here shortly. Get ready as fast as you can, grab the case and get out of there! The limo is on the way to pick you up. The receptionist is helping me access the hotel's security cameras so I can monitor your exfil."

"I'm on my way." Eli responded, changing into his suit as fast as he could and packing all his belongings, including the small amount of winnings from last night. No point in leaving that behind. He wondered how Hwong had discovered the theft so quickly, he wasn't expecting it to happen for at least another two hours, closer to the auction time that Anya had told him about. Just as he had picked up the case and was about to leave, Anya chimed in again.

"We have a change of plans. The police have arrived and they're in the building. They've cordoned off the main entrance so you'll have to get out the back as fast as you can before they cordon that off too. Find the receptionist, he'll show you the way. I've got camera access and I'm seeing four officers arriving at your floor. Stay in your room for now, you can't afford to let them see you." She instructed. Eli did as she told, peeking through the peephole on his door to see the aforementioned officers jogging past on their way to Hwong's room.

"Dammit! Two officers are staying in the hallway on guard. You can't leave yet. Wait until they go." She said. He patiently waited, but the more time that passed, the more worried he became until finally Anya spoke up again.

"Uh oh, looks like they're spreading out and searching the neighbouring suites. Two of them are approaching your door." Anya warned, but no sooner than she did so that Eli heard a knock on his door.

_"This is the ZPD! We're investigating a robbery and need to check all the rooms on this floor. Open the door please."_ The officer called out. Eli panicked and backed away from the door, unsure of what to do. After a moment, the officer called out again, this time in a much harsher tone. The young man knew they meant business, and he was sure they were going to break down the door if he didn't think of something fast!

"Eli! Quick! The balcony! The suite next to yours, suite 4, is empty. Can you make your way there?" Anya suggested. Eli immediately set into motion. Reaching the edge of his balcony, he saw the next one wasn't too far away, and using all his might, tossed the case over to it. It was enough to just barely make it past the edge. Now it was his turn. He vaulted off the edge and grabbed onto it, then scaled his way to the balcony, this time going in the opposite direction to where he went last night. Hauling himself onto the new balcony, he retrieved the case and peered inside the room, seeing it was indeed empty, then hid inside. Just in time too, as he heard the door being broken down in his old room, followed by the muffled voices of the two officers on the other side of the wall.

_"What the?... The room's empty!"_

_"It can't be! The door was locked from the inside!"_

_"Search the place! Maybe they're still hiding here somewhere. Did you call for backup?"_

_"Yeah, they should be getting here any moment now."_

"Eli, all of the officers are searching the rooms and there's no one guarding the hallway. Now's your chance! Sneak past them into the hallway and make for the elevators." She advised. Eli carefully opened the door and peeked out, making sure the coast was clear in both directions before he set out. He could hear the noise made by the officers as they rummaged around in his old room, though fading away now as he got further and further away from them and closer to the elevators. He was only a few meters away when he heard the 'ding' sound of the elevator arriving followed by the sound of it's doors opening.

"Heads up! Three more officers just arrived on your floor. Quickly! Duck into the maintenance room on your right!" Anya guided once more. Sure enough, Eli saw the door and made a run for it, entering the small room and shutting the door as quietly as possible. As the name had suggested, the cramped room was full of supplies and parts for use by maintenance staff as well as janitorial supplies. A moment later, he heard the muffled voices of the officers as they passed by, but couldn't exactly make out what they were saying as they were talking quietly amongst themselves.

_"…But you know what I think? I bet the guy just misplaced his stuff and didn't bother to look before calling 911."_

_"Look, just because the last few robbery calls were false alarms doesn't mean every one of them will be the same. We could be looking at the real deal here! Maybe if we're lucky, the thief's probably still here since they've cordoned off the entrance."_

_"You hear that rookie? The mean ol' robber's still around. Think you've got what it takes to bag your first crook?"_

_"O-Oh dear! T-that sounds… *gulp*… dangerous! M-maybe I could… uh… I dunno… head back down a-and, uh, guard the entrance… w-with the other officers... where its safer?"_

_"Oh no you don't! C'mere! You've been training for this after all. __**You're**__ gonna be the one to say hello to the perp… with your tranquilliser gun!..."_

Eli heard the voices fading as the sources moved further away, but left the room only when Anya gave him the all-clear. He turned the corner and entered the elevator, the same one the officers had used, then pushed the button for the ground floor.

"Okay, what happens now?" He asked.

"The back door is still clear, that's your way out. The receptionist is waiting for you at the elevators. He'll escort you out. The chauffeur has been instructed to pick you up at the back instead too." Anya replied. Sure enough, when Eli reached the ground floor, the receptionist was standing right in front of the elevator, wearing an extremely concerned expression.

"Mr. Darwin, come with me." He said, barely waiting for the man as he started off. Most of the guests in the lobby area were gathered at the main entrance, curious as to what was happening, while some were even arguing with the officers who were preventing anyone from leaving. With attention drawn elsewhere, it was much easier to sneak by to the door leading to the 'staff only' section of the hotel. The deer headed for the back with Eli in tow, weaving through narrower corridors, careful not to be spotted by anyone. Luckily, most of the staff were busy attempting to calm the guests and thus the hallways were empty. The last thing they wanted was a riot on their paws.

"I have removed your name from the guest registry and your colleague has access to the security records and will alter the video footage as soon as you leave the building." He reported just as the two reached the back door. It led to a smaller and simpler looking garden, though Eli realised it was the rear part of the garden seen at the front. As the sirens of more incoming police units wailed in the background the two made their way through to a smaller gate leading off the hotel's premises, and Eli could see the white limousine waiting for him beyond, the familiar tiger chauffeur standing there next to it. As soon as the gate opened and Eli passed through, the receptionist grabbed his arm and stopped him. He snapped around to see the distressed expression on the deer's face.

"Wait! What about my daughter?!"

"…I'm… I'm sorry, what?..." Eli frowned, confused.

"I did everything you asked! Please, give her back to me! Please, I'm begging you!" The deer pleaded, tears starting to stream down the sides of his cheeks.

"I… I…" Eli tried to speak, completely flabbergasted, but was interrupted by the chauffeur, who forcefully removed the deer's grip on his arm and pulled him away in the direction of the limousine.

"There's no time to lose sir! The police are swarming the place! We have to leave now!" He said, almost shoving the young man into the back seat and closing the door before getting in the driver seat and speeding away. The tiger seemed to be using back alleys and less used side roads to prevent detection by the police, driving away from the blaring sirens, only merging back onto the main road once they were far enough away from the crime scene. Eli on the other paw was partly in shock and couldn't shake the thought of the deer's words out of his head. What was he babbling on about his daughter? And why would he think Eli had something to do with it? Something was amiss here, perhaps something going on that he wasn't told about, and he felt only Mr. Khan could give him the answer. This was the second question he'd have to remember to ask him at the next opportunity.


	9. Crossroads

**Hey fellas! Everyone been doing fine? I'm back with a new chapter of the story. By the way, this chapter has connections to the previous one. Think you can spot them? Hope you paid attention last chapter. ;)**

* * *

_Earlier that day, 8:45 am…_

"Ah, good ol' Sahara Square, dry as a bone, sand and dust that gets everywhere, and topped by scorching heat. An absolute paradise on earth!... if you're a cactus…" Nick finished the last part in a sarcastic, deadpan voice, turning his head to address the lynx officer sitting in the backseat of the police cruiser, wiping away any traces of sweat off of his head with a handkechief. "Stark contrast to the rainforest, isn't it?"

"Q-quite sir. I don't know i-if I could ever get used to t-this much heat. I-I hope I don't end up g-getting a heat stroke… or dehydration… or asthma f-from all that sand."

"Relax Jitters, we're only here to familiarise you with the place, then we're outta here. The chances of that happening are low. But if it does happen, Hopps is the best driver on the force, she'll get you to the hospital real fast, though not necessarily in one piece. Right Carrots?" He teased, looking over to his partner in the driver's seat, who was staring straight ahead with a serious expression with her ears drooped, apparently deep in thought. She didn't respond.

"Judy?" He repeated, getting her attention this time around.

"Huh? What?"

"Something on your mind, Fluff?"

"Oh… sorry. I was just thinking about the funeral yesterday."

Nick sighed. "Still? Look, what happened was tragic and unexpected, but you can't stay upset over it. With the good luck the ZPD was having all these years, I guess something like this was bound to happen _eventually_."

"It's not just that. I can't help but keep thinking back to Kellaway's family… the looks on their faces… how miserable they were… what they must be going through. And… and it makes me wonder about my own family… how they'd be feeling the same way if something happened to me. Or your family if something happened to you. And what about Eli? What if something happened to me, or you, or both of us? God, he'd be devastated! What would he do?"

"Calm down Judy. You're overthinking things. Nothings gonna happen to us. The odds of that are way too small. And besides, we've got each other to watch our backs. And I think you're underestimating Eli too. He's old enough now and he's a smart kid, he can take care of himself. And he'd never be alone. He's got an infinite supply of family members after all." Nick joked with the last line. It was enough to make the rabbit giggle, just as he had hoped.

"Not gonna stop tormenting me with your rabbit jokes, huh?"

"Not anytime soon." He replied with his usual smug grin. Their conversation was cut short by the crackling of the car's police radio.

_"To all units in the vicinity of Sahara Square, we have a report of a robbery at the Palm Oasis hotel, suspect presumably still in the building, any available units please respond."_ It relayed. Moments later, three different squad cars reported that they would respond to the call.

"Woah. A robbery at a secured place like the Palm Oasis? Someone's feeling bold." Nick commented.

"But it does make for a prime target what with all the rich mammals there. It's not too far. Maybe we should join in." Judy asked.

"You sure? It's not really part of our beat. Besides, they've got six officers heading on scene. They should be able to handle it." Nick replied, and Judy seemed to agree, continuing on their tour of the district. He turned around to look at Kevin, a bit annoyed at seeing him busily typing away on his smartphone.

"You'd better be taking notes back there." Nick spoke, startling the lynx.

"Oh!... uh, s-sorry sir. I-It's my mother. She's always worrying about m-me. She, uh, w-was just wanting to make sure I took my, uh, v-vitamins this morning."

"Oookayyy." Nick dragged out the word, quirking a brow. "Just pay attention, we're here for _your_ orientation after all." He reminded.

_Meanwhile, at the Palm Oasis hotel…_

Sirens blared outside the hotel as three squad cars screeched to a halt right in front of the entrance. Moments later, six officers brandishing dart guns barged in and made for the reception desk, mammaled by a deer.

"We got a call about a robbery in this hotel. Any idea who called it in?" The senior officer amongst them, a sergeant, asked.

"Uh, Yes. O-on the penthouse floor, suite number 8." He responded. It looked like he wanted to say something more but chose not to. The sergeant ordered two officers to stay and guard the main doors just in case, then took the rest with him to the elevators, taking one to the topmost floor where the penthouse suites were located. They rushed to suite 8 where the door was open and a panda, no doubt the guest, was arguing with a staff member.

"Alright, break it up! Are you the one who called to report a robbery?" The sergeant spoke up again. The panda nodded and told them the whole story of how he woke up to find his precious jewel missing. After confirming that he hadn't simply misplaced it, the sergeant turned to address his partner, a corporal.

"From the sound of it, it looks like the gem was stolen recently, so it's best we start with the nearby rooms and cordon off the place. We're gonna need more officers for that. Get on the radio and call for backup, and follow me." He ordered. After searching suite 7 and 6 and interrogating the inhabitants, he caught up with the two officers watching the hallway and ordered them to search the rooms in the other direction, himself proceeding to the door of suite 5 and knocking on it.

"This is the ZPD! We're investigating a robbery and need to check all the rooms on this floor. Open the door please." He demanded, his patience growing thin the more time that passed and the door didn't open. He tried the handle but the door was locked. There was definitely someone inside. He gave a final warning which seemed to have gone unheeded, so he finally decided to use force. With the help of his partner, they rammed the door a few times until it finally caved in and smashed open, both officers scanning the place with dart guns pointed at the ready.

"What the?... The room's empty!"

"It can't be! The door was locked from the inside!"

"Search the place! Maybe they're still hiding here somewhere. Did you call for backup?"

"Yeah, they should be getting here any moment now."

_Back in Sahara Square…_

Nick took another sip of his coffee that he had bought for himself. The trio had stopped at a Snarlbucks in their route to grab some drinks and snacks. Nick had also picked up a chocolate chip cookie to munch on, while Judy had grabbed a blueberry muffin along with the usual coffee. Kevin on the other paw, had taken a ridiculous amount of time deciding his pick, mainly since he was concerned about avoiding any ingredients that he might be allergic to, which, much to his superiors' frustrations, as well as that of the mammal behind the counter, seemed to include virtually everything on the menu. He finally decided on a very plain looking sandwich that was little more than just bread, but Nick and Judy were more than happy to finally be able to move on. They had just barely finished their meals when the car's radio crackled to life.

_"This is Dispatch, officers are requesting further assistance at the Palm Oasis hotel. Precinct four is prepping additional units to support but they'll take some time. Any officers in the vicinity available to respond immediately?"_ It said. Nick and Judy looked at each other.

"Boy, must be something _really_ serious if they still need backup." Nick said as he picked up the transmitter to reply.

"This is officers Wilde and Hopps, we're just a few blocks away from the hotel. We're on our way there." He said, then placed the transmitter back, turned on the sirens and lights and looked back at the lynx in the back seat.

"Better buckle up and hold onto something if you value your life!" He warned, then immediately wrapped his seatbelt around him, paws clutching the dashboard and door handle. The lynx was confused, but understood what he meant the hard way when Judy stepped on the gas and sent the cat flying into the seat back behind him. The poor cat clutched onto it with all four clawed paws, his expression one of extreme shock and terror as Judy swerved around turns and curves and weaved through traffic on their way there.

While Judy was focused on getting there as fast as possible, Nick was more interested in taking the sight of the iconic structure getting larger the closer they got. Past the entrance gate it seemed like an entirely different world, and Nick was awestruck. Judy parked the cruiser next to where the other officers had parked and hopped out while Kevin had to pry himself off the back of the backseat, shaking violently from his experience. Nick took in the luxurious surroundings and whistled in awe as he stepped out.

"Would you take a gander at this place. If only they spent as much money on the ZPD as they spend on this place…"

"Yes Nick, I know this is all very beautiful and captivating, but we don't have time to take in the view. Let's move." Judy said. The three of them made their way to the main doors beyond which they met up with the two officers standing guard there, trying to control the small crowd of concerned hotel patrons demanding to know what was going on and why they weren't allowed to leave.

"Well well, dispatch notified us we'd be getting backup, but they didn't mention it'd be _you two_." One of them said.

"Where are the others?" Judy asked.

"They took the elevator to the top floor where the robbery was reported. Talk to the sarge once you get up there. Elevators are back over there."

Judy thanked the officers and headed towards the elevators with the fox and lynx in tow. Nick's head was on a swivel, gawking at the lavish surroundings of the building's interior. He sighed.

"If only Eli was here. I know he's always wanted to see this place. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Instead he gets to spend his day sitting in an office cubicle. I bet he's having the time of his life." Nick said the last part sarcastically.

"It's a shame we'll never be able to afford this place. But who knows, maybe Eli ends up earning enough to spend time here." Judy said as the three stepped into the elevator and headed to the top floor.

"If he does, he'd better remember to treat us to a nights stay here." Nick smirked, earning an eye roll from Judy.

"I wonder how a thief managed to enter the hotel anyway." She asked to no one in particular after a moment, changing the subject.

"I-It could have been one of the g-guests." Kevin suggested as the elevator stopped at its floor and the doors opened.

"Brilliant deduction Sherlock. Heck, keep that up and you could make detective tomorrow." Nick finished sarcastically.

"As obvious as that is, he could be right. That's the only way anyone could get in." Judy added as the three rounded a corner onto the long hallway containing the doors to the various suites, as well as a door on the opposite wall leading to some kind of maintenance room.

"Maybe so, but rooms here aren't cheap, so that means our crook would already have to be well off to start with. But you know what I think? I bet the guy just misplaced his stuff and didn't bother to look before calling 911." Nick said.

"Look, just because the last few robbery calls were false alarms doesn't mean every one of them will be the same. We could be looking at the real deal here! Maybe if we're lucky, the thief's probably still here since they've cordoned off the entrance." Judy replied hopefully.

"You hear that rookie? The mean ol' robber's still around. Think you've got what it takes to bag your first crook?" Nick addressed Kevin.

"O-Oh dear! T-that sounds… *gulp*… dangerous! M-maybe I could… uh… I dunno… head back down a-and, uh, guard the entrance… w-with the other officers… where it's safer?"

"Oh no you don't! C'mere! You've been training for this after all. _You're_ gonna be the one to say hello to the perp… with your tranquilliser gun!..." Nick grinned and pulled the lynx alongside him, slinging an arm over his shoulder like he was his best buddy. The lynx only seemed to tremble more at the prospect of facing a possibly dangerous criminal.

"Wait a minute!" Nick suddenly stopped, his nose sniffing the air. "Do you smell that?"

Judy stopped, confused, but sniffed as well, eventually realising it was something that only Nick's nose could detect. "What is it?"

"For… for a second there I thought I picked up… Eli's scent…" he explained, looking baffled. His eyes and head instinctively darted around trying to find the source of the scent. Judy frowned and placed her paws on her hips, her foot tapping.

"Nick, you do realise Eli is all the way over in his office at the business district, right?"

"Yeah but-"

"Then how in the world do you smell him _here_?"

"I… I don't know. It was very brief though, I'm not picking it up again anymore."

"Hmm… maybe it's the mixed scent of a couple of mammals that might have mimicked Eli's scent. This is a hallway after all. All kinds of guests and staff move around here."

"Maybe you're right. It was probably just a false alarm." He concluded, moving on. The three eventually came upon a suite door that was open and two officers emerged from inside. They noticed one of the officers was wearing the rank of sergeant.

"Hopps and Wilde? Huh, wasn't expecting you two to be my backup. Still, it's a relief to see more officers here."

"At your service sir! Where did the robbery take place?" Judy asked.

"Suite 8, but we're investigating the other rooms just in case. I need you two to help check the remaining rooms first." He ordered, and the three complied, going room to room until every suite on the floor had been searched. They regrouped at suite 8, where the sergeant briefed the newcomers about the crime, after which he along with three other officers decided to head to the ground floor to cover any back doors while they waited for more backup, leaving only Nick, Judy and Kevin to secure the crime scene.

"So this is where it happened." Nick said absentmindedly, looking around the large room in awe and taking in it's luxurious amenities. "What a beaut! I'd give an arm and a leg to spend a night here." He marvelled.

"And that's pretty much what it'll cost you." Judy retorted. "Along with the remaining arm and leg, and both kidneys too." she grinned. Nick, Judy and Kevin had split up to explore. Kevin suggested that the thief could've entered through one of the ventilation openings in the room, but they were too small for anything larger than a rodent to crawl through, and their covers looked intact and too firmly locked in place for a rodent to be able to open them.

This was one of the things that made investigations so complex in Zootopia. Since criminals came in all shapes and sizes with varying abilities, investigators had to consider things in meticulous levels of details. It was part of the reason why Nick and Judy were glad they were not detectives.

"It looks like the only way into the room is by the main door. But the guest said the door was locked all the time, even when he wasn't in the room. So how could the thief get in?" Judy pondered as Nick went over to explore the balcony nearby.

"Maybe he came through the balcony?" He suggested. Judy came over to join him and took a look around, hoisting herself over the edge railing to look down.

"It's hundreds of feet down below! Besides, there's no way anyone could climb the side of this building."

"What about the other balconies? Could be someone staying in one of the neighbouring rooms."

"Hmm… they look too far to jump over from there. And we just searched all the rooms and interrogated the guests and found nothing."

"There's still the mystery of suite 5. The sarge said the door was locked but no one was found inside."

"I'll admit, that one has me stumped too, but is that even related to the theft?"

"I don't know what to tell ya then Fluff…" Nick began as they walked back inside. "…It could be any number of possibilities then, ranging from the thief being small and fast enough to not be seen getting in and out of the room, to there being no thief at all."

"What do you mean by that last one?"

"I mean it doesn't look like anyone could get into the room unseen, so maybe there wasn't any thief and there wasn't any theft. Maybe our 'victim' stole his own gem in order to claim some kind of insurance or something. I guess the investigation team might have better luck figuring out what happened but one thing's for sure, there's something fishy going on here."


	10. Fog of War

**Hey guys! Been a while, hasn't it? A lot has been happening but I managed to find some time to finish the next chapter, and just in time for the holidays too. I guess you could consider this something of a Christmas gift for my readers :P So Merry Christmas!**

* * *

SNIP!

The unwanted cut stem fell from the plant into a waiting gloved paw belonging to a particular tiger, who stashed it into a bag latched to the side of his belt containing many other similar stems. The big cat was tending to his garden of flowers and other plants that formed part of the interior jungle closest to his desk. He was in more casual clothing for the task, having removed his suit, leaving the white shirt underneath with collar unbuttoned, tie loosened and sleeves rolled up, and the black trousers that would otherwise form part of his suit, as well as having donned a gardening apron and gloves. His left ear perked and swivelled towards the direction of the sound of movement and his eyes followed, seeing a familiar suited man walking towards him with a small case in hand.

"Ah, Eli! You're back, successfully, I see." He purred. Eli didn't say anything and merely presented the case to Khan, who grinned at the sight and accepted it. He carried it over to his desk, placed and opened it, pressing the switch to reveal the hidden compartment. And there she was. The Blood Diamond in all her glory. The sparkle from the gem reflected off the tiger's eyes, who was ecstatic at the sight. Carefully he picked up the jewel in his gloved paw and admired it.

"Magnificent, isn't it? It's amazing what Mother Nature can create given enough time and the proper conditions. Ah, but I'd like to actually _feel_ the gem in my bare paws." He marvelled, realising he was still in his gardening outfit and began to remove his apron and gloves, stashing them aside.

"I'd have imagined that you'd be able to afford gardeners to do that work for you." Eli remarked.

"A garden needs delicate love and care to bloom, Mr. Hopps. Gardeners put in neither, although they suffice for watering and simple maintenance." He countered, still admiring the ruby as he sat down in his chair. "But coming back to the subject at paw, Anya has given me the report of your mission. You've done an excellent job, and I'm highly pleased and impressed. You're showing quite a bit of promise. Despite things not going according to plan, you managed to safely complete your task. I knew I could count on you. Now that we have the ruby, I can return it to it's rightful owners. The Kusari government is going to be very pleased to have their national treasure and heritage back in their possession, and I'll be sure to credit you in making that possible." Khan finished with a triumphant smile that slowly dropped off when he saw that Eli wasn't sharing his joy.

"Why, is something the matter my boy?" He asked sympathetically, his eyes trying to figure out the young man's perturbed expression.

"I, uh… hope you don't mind my asking, Mr. Khan, but I have some… concerns…" he confessed, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Khan's desk.

"Concerns?" Khan repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… back at the hotel, when I was leaving this morning… the receptionist, the one that was my contact, he… begged me to 'give him his daughter back'. I… didn't really understand what he meant by that… and I was hoping you could shed some light on it." He finished. Khan stared intently at him for a moment, his elbows on the desk and paws clasped in front of his muzzle, as if analysing what he had just said.

"Did he say anything else?"

"N-No."

"Then I can understand what that might be implying to you. But I assure you, that's not the case. A shame he didn't tell you the full story. You see, when your mission was still in the planning stages, we approached him for assistance. He refused, stating that he was going through a crisis at the time. This complicated matters, and we had to delay execution so we could find an alternate solution. Then, days later, he contacted us explaining his situation. His daughter had been kidnapped, and the police were having no luck in finding her. Now more worried for her safety, he asked for Vanguard's assistance in rescuing her, offering his full support if we were to help. We were more than willing to aid a mammal in distress and I've had operatives on the case ever since. I only regretted that he hadn't told us sooner, then perhaps we would have found her by now."

Eli had listened carefully, and it took him a moment to process the information.

"But… the way he said it made it sound like _you_ had his daughter."

"I'm sure you understand the stress and anxiety the parent of a kidnapped child goes through. It's possible he simply misspoke. He meant for you, or rather _us_, to find his girl and return her to him. Do you understand?"

There was an unusually long thoughtful pause before Eli finally replied. "I… I think so."

"Good. Are there any other 'concerns'?"

"Yes actually. About that police officer that was killed the other day. I heard from my parents that a witness at the scene heard a loud bang, sounding very similar to the firearms you're developing down below, and the officer had a hole in his body which I'm guessing was a bullet hole. As far as I know, you're the only one who possesses them, so I was hoping you could offer an explanation for this."

Khan sighed, stood up from his chair and walked back to his window, gazing outside, his paws behind his back. Eli followed, standing a distance behind him.

"I confess, I may be partly responsible for that, regrettably." He admitted with a hint of sorrow. "I didn't tell you this because this didn't concern you, but now that you're asking…"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Shortly before you joined, we had a security breach. A researcher, one of the upper echelons of the firearm project, betrayed us and managed to smuggle a copy of the blueprints and specifications of the gun and its ammunition outside the premises and escaped. He had planned it very well, as it was a while before we realised what he had done, and he's left no trail for us to follow whatsoever. We're still searching for him but with no luck so far. I'm assuming that he's either sold the information to another organisation or he's manufacturing the weapons on his own and selling them to criminals, which is how it likely resulted in the death of one of the city's finest." He explained, staring down at the passing mammals below. Eli thought about the implications for a moment.

"So, if one criminal has bought a gun, does this mean there can be more armed bad guys out there?" Eli asked, to which Khan nodded.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of. I don't know what his production capabilities are, but it's possible we might be having numerous armed criminals on the streets soon. And it's why I'm trying my best to get my weapons in the paws of law enforcement to counter this threat as soon as possible. But that's an entirely different discussion. You don't need to think about this, just leave the worrying to me. You should think about the good you've done today. You've placed a dangerous criminal in jail." He said, stopping to give the man a pat on his back on his way to his chair.

"About that, I don't see how stealing a ruby would put him in jail."

"Hwong's illicit business was running out of money. He was going to sell the ruby as a last ditch effort to fund it. Without it, he'll soon go bankrupt and be forced to return to his home country, where the authorities will be waiting for him after I inform them of his arrival." He chuckled.

_Later_

_"So just relish in the fact that you've done this city a service, one that unfortunately, they'll never thank you for."_

Those were Khan's words to him that still echoed in his head. It made sense, but Eli wasn't feeling very accomplished for some reason. For one thing, the plight of the receptionist was still ringing in his head, and while Khan had assured him, he had offered to help in finding his daughter, to which Khan had refused stating that he already had good operatives on the case and that he had other plans for him.

"Eli?" A voice snapped him out of his thoughts and he looked at its source, sitting across the table from him.

"Something wrong honey? You haven't touched your salad yet." A concerned Judy spoke up.

"Oh, Uh… it's okay mom, I'm... just saving up for the main course." Eli excused. He didn't realise that he had been idly poking at his salad for quite a while in thought. The family was having dinner at a restaurant today in celebration of Eli's first paycheque. Nick occasionally brought them here for food sometimes but this time Eli was going to be paying, which pleased the fox just as much as any other occasion where he got to save money. It was primarily a predators restaurant and both Nick and Eli enjoyed the food there though Judy was less enthusiastic about the lack of herbivore dishes.

"You know, if something's troubling you, you can always talk to us." Nick added, munching on his salad. He was sitting next to Judy.

"Well, I'm just a bit exhausted from having spent a whole day and night at work."

"I can imagine." Nick sympathised.

"So, why did they keep you overnight anyway?" Judy asked.

"Trying to make up for lost time in keeping up with a deadline for the project I'm working on. Ironically, in an effort to speed things up we made a few oversights including a lack of parts, materials and overlooked procedures that ended up setting us back rather than forward. All in all, it was a rollercoaster of a day and night."

"Huh, if you think that's something, wait till you hear the kind of day _we_ had, right Judy?" Nick began. Eli was showing keen interest, prompting them to continue.

"Oh yeah! This morning, we were touring Sahara Square for our newest officer's orientation when we got a call about a theft at the Palm Oasis hotel." Judy revealed excitedly. Eli froze at the mention of the incident, though tried his best not to show any suspicious reaction.

"The P-Palm Oasis? You don't say."

"Yeah. Some guy stole some really important jewels from one of the guests. Perp was a sneaky one too. Managed to steal it and escape the hotel without anyone noticing. Pure genius if you ask me." Nick recounted.

"And… you guys were there?"

"Mmhmm! But here's the funny part. Your bloodhound of a father here thought _you _were at the hotel." Judy giggled. Nick sighed and felt he owed Eli an explanation.

"She's exaggerating. I picked up some mammal's scent who I mistook for yours. And that too just a temporary whiff. Your mom hasn't let me hear the end of it since."

"Heh, you? Mistaking scents? You must be getting old." Eli chuckled.

"Ouch, that hurts you know?" Nick crosses his arms, frowning.

"Just kidding dad. So, any ideas as to who was responsible?" Eli asked. He thought this would be a good opportunity to check and see if the police were any close to discovering his role in the incident. He silently prayed that wasn't the case.

"Us? Not really. We looked around but we weren't really equipped for detective work. We didn't find any clues. However investigators are combing the scene now, but its unlikely we'll hear any news for a few days at least. Those guys are good though. Maybe it'll take a while but they're sure to find the perp eventually." Judy explained.

"Well, best of luck to them." Eli finished half heartedly. He so wished he could tell those two the truth, about how the jewel had already been stolen from its original owner, and how he had actually helped in returning it back to it's real owners. But he knew that would only complicate things. They wouldn't believe him, or they wouldn't understand. It would just cause them unnecessary worry and confusion.

Soon after, their main course arrived, a big plump juicy chicken, roasted whole and served on a platter. Of course, being Nick's natural weakness, he immediately started drooling uncontrollably, much to Judy's displeasure. Eli also perked up in anticipation, and as soon as the meal had been placed between them, the two predators glared and bared teeth at each other possessively over the food, with Nick also growling at the man. Both of them were tensed up, and as if on cue they sprung up and attacked the meat on the table. Both fox and man bit down, one on each side of the chicken, and tried yanking it to their side in a somewhat gruesome match of tug of war. Of course, Eli was larger and stronger, and almost managed to pull the fox over the table, but Nick impressively held his own, until the bird in between split into two uneven halves and the carnivores began chowing down. They stopped briefly to share a good hearty laugh, although Judy just facepawed and sighed, wishing those two would grow up. Eli had picked up this habit from his father, and the two would sometimes do this for fun on those occasions where meat was being served. As much as Judy loved her two boys, the inner prey inside her couldn't help but feel intimidated by their primal predatory display.

_A month later_

The incident at the Palm Oasis hotel had come as a bit of a surprise and shock for the citizens of Zootopia. The establishment was always thought of as being safe and secure, and the news of someone stealing valuables and then escaping right under the noses of police and hotel security, that too in broad daylight, was concerning. The hotel was the most affected, and felt the slight drop in patronage, though they tried beefing up security and assuring guests that such an incident would never happen again. It also became a source of embarrassment for the police, who failed to find the culprit despite thorough investigation. This gained the culprit a bit of notoriety amongst the populace, particularly the poorer class, who felt that the 'rich snobs' deserved it, and even praised him for it.

On the other hand, for the 'culprit' himself, things were going quite well. Eli's training had progressed significantly and he had picked up a lot of new skills. It hadn't been a smooth ride, but the pay made up for it. His parents were happy that he was settled in his job, which was quite the weight lifted off their shoulders. And he had recently got to hang out with Mike and Isaac once more, who had invited him to congratulate him on his job, happy to see him earning now.

He had even found a new friend in Anya, who had been a huge support for him during his time at work. The two had grown close over time, and Eli often found himself in her office whenever they had the time. Sometimes she would invite him, other times he'd pay a surprise visit, and they'd always have something to talk about. Out of all of his coworkers, she was the only one he really felt like he could open up to.

Today she had called Eli after work to meet up with her as she had some good news for him, though the meeting place she had chosen was one he was unfamiliar with. He was standing on the sidewalk outside the main gate right now. Various mammals, mostly families with kids, were entering and leaving through the entrance. Eli looked up to read the name mounted atop the gate.

"Zootopia Botanical Gardens."

He had heard the name before but not much else. At least this would make for a good opportunity to see the place. Beyond the entrance it looked very similar to the rainforest district with more plants and no buildings, but as Eli went further in he noticed some of the flora was different, more exotic, the likes of which Eli had never seen before. Perhaps plants from other countries? Amongst the mammals visiting the place, Eli even spotted a few fellow humans around, a refreshing sight for him. Most of them had come with partners, perhaps friends or couples? He remembered seeing a man with a whitetail doe, a woman with a wolf, and yet another with a tiger, to name a few.

Anya had given him directions in her message and he followed them until he came upon the snow leopardess on the edge of the path leaning on the railing. She was looking thoughtfully down the shallow pit on the other side of the railing, her long fluffy tail swishing about lazily behind her. She was dressed casually, the first time Eli had seen her out of her business attire. He walked over to lean next to her on the railing, and she smiled upon noticing his presence, though her gaze remained fixed down below. Eli followed it and saw she was watching some crocodiles that lived in the pit that formed their exhibit. The exhibit had been decorated to mimic the natural jungle environment that the crocodiles were found in.

"Fascinating creatures, aren't they? Almost living dinosaurs. Hard to believe we were once savage like them. It's a good thing this place exists to remind us of how far we've come since those times." She thought out loud, and Eli agreed. He had seen a few other enclosures like this on his way here but hadn't seen the animals inside, probably other species of reptiles and birds. The place was basically a zoo, park and garden all in one. Heh, a zoo… in Zootopia… The very statement was ironic in itself. He understood now why they stuck to calling it 'botanical gardens'.

"Tell me Eli…" she began as she turned to look at him with a hint of concern in her eyes, "… I've heard rumours that where humans come from, we're still savage, hunting and killing one another, predators devouring prey. Is… Is this true?"

Eli hesitated in answering, worried if the reality would be too devastating for her, and also due to the fact that it took him a moment to recall things from a world he hadn't seen in years.

"Y-Yes, it's true, unfortunately. Evolution took a different course over there." He finally answered. Anya's ears drooped and she looked back down into the crocodile exhibit in thought, sighing.

"I see. It's a shame that some things haven't changed elsewhere, but I suppose every place has its own nature and it's own reasons for things being the way they are."

The two spent a few moments in silence, watching the crocodiles down below. Out of the corner of his eye Eli saw that she looked a bit down and decided to change the subject.

"So, you said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Hm? Oh! That's right. Sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. Come with me. We can discuss things over a cup of coffee." She said, now seemingly back to her perky self. She led Eli to a nearby café serving the visitors and sat down at one of the outdoor tables that provided a good view of the surrounding gardens. They gave their orders to the attending waiter and then enjoyed the atmosphere and each other's company as they waited for their drinks.

Anya seemed to be much more at ease out here than she was in her office. She and Eli talked about a wide range of topics, and eventually landed on the subject of her background. Apparently she came from a very small family. She was the only daughter of her parents and whatever was left of her other relatives had either scattered or passed away. Due to certain circumstances she hadn't been able to speak with her parents ever since she had graduated and left her hometown to find work in Zootopia. In some ways she was in the same boat as Eli. Despite graduating top of her class in uni, she was unable to find a job, and initially had to survive doing menial odd jobs, having worked as a waitress at a diner, a shopkeeper's assistant, an employee at McDonkey's and a salesgirl at Preyda before she caught the eye of Mr. Shere Khan, who helped establish her, and she had been faring much better since then.

Of course, she was very interested in Eli's past as well, and the man narrated his entire story of how he had grown up as an orphan in an orphanage back in his home world, how he had stumbled into Zootopia, how he had been rescued by two kindhearted police officers, and how he had been adopted and raised by those very same officers, ending his journey of loneliness and replacing it with one of happiness, family and friendship. The feline before him listened to every word with intense fascination.

"Wow, your parents really love and care for you a lot, don't they?" She asked, feeling a tinge of sympathy for the man. At least she had a happy cubhood with parents to love and look after her. She couldn't imagine the life of a cub growing up without them.

"Yeah, that's what's so amazing about them. I owe everything to them for the way they took care of me, despite me being… different. They gave me love, a home, a family. And all this time I'm thinking there's no way I could thank them enough for all that." He finished, his gaze fixed on his drink before him as he toyed with it idly, his eyes tearing up a bit as the memories ran through his mind.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice the pair of grey, spotted paws that advanced and carefully grasped his hands until he felt the touch of her fur and pads against his skin. He looked up to see that she had leaned in closer, almost face to face with him.

"You don't need to. You're a wonderful mammal, Eli. Just having you in their lives to bring them joy and happiness is thanks enough for them, I'm sure." She spoke softly. He smiled, and that made her smile in turn, but once again she found that she couldn't look away, lost in those beautiful eyes, just like he was in hers. They didn't realise it, but their paws were holding each other more tightly, and the two remained like this for what seemed like an eternity, connecting with one another, as if the world around them withered away leaving just the two of them in this botanical paradise.

"Excuse me sir, ma'am. Here's your bill." The voice snapped them back to reality just in time to see the waiter plop the piece of paper on the table between them before leaving. Immediately they leaned back into their chairs and paws let go of one another, both their faces red as beetroots, though eventually they smiled at each other again, and even chuckled.

"Oh, the bill!" Eli started, reaching for the scrap of paper and his wallet with his other hand.

"Allow me, it's my treat." Anya offered, about to go for the small purse in her pocket.

"No no, it's perfectly fine. Besides, I think it's about time _I _treated you to something." He said, referring to all those times Anya had offered him drinks or snacks in her office.

"I… well, thank you." She smiled, the appreciation as plain as day on her face.

"No problem. I had a great time here anyways. Never visited the gardens before, but I never would have thought it would be such a wonderful place. Thank you for inviting me here." he smiled, placing the money next to the bill.

"Glad you liked it, it's one of my favourite places to visit." She replied before her face lit up as if she had remembered something. "Oh! By the way, I almost forgot to tell you. I have some good news for you: your equipment is finally ready. It's waiting for you in Professor Meyer's lab in the technical department. Remember to pay him a visit. Also, Mr. Khan has a new task for you, one that he feels only someone with your skills could complete successfully. You should speak to him tomorrow."

"Why do I get the bad feeling that it's not going to be any easier than the last 'task'?" Eli sighed.

"Not sure if you know this, but Mr. Khan considers you one of his best operatives. I suppose you could consider this an honour that he feels only _you _are suited for the job." She tried to assure him.

"Maybe you're right. Still, you didn't call me all the way out here just to give me some news, did you?" Eli smiled, his eyes narrowing playfully. Anya seemed to pick up on the hint and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"W-Well, since you hadn't seen the Gardens before, I thought this would make for a good opportunity, and I figured we could check the place out together. T-That is… if you're interested." She finished, her gaze occasionally wandering as if to avoid prolonged eye contact while a paw brushed over her ear. Eli's smile grew bigger.

"I'd love to." He responded, getting up from his chair to stand next to Anya with one arm behind his back and offering his hand to her in a gentlemanly manner. She was surprised but flattered by the gesture, smiling and placing her paw in his hand, allowing him to help her up. He then offered her his arm, which she happily accepted, wrapping her own arm around it, and the two went on to explore side by side.

"Excuse me." They heard after a moment of walking. Eli turned around and saw he was being addressed by a male black jaguar, accompanied by a beautiful woman with long brown hair and, unusual for a human, one green eye and one blue, while the jaguar had a series of small scars around his right eye. Both of them appeared to be in their mid to late middle ages.

"My apologies for interrupting, my friend, but we are new here and unfamiliar with the place. Could you kindly direct us to the aviary?" he asked in a spanish-accented rough voice.

"A-Actually, I'm new here myself, but Anya here would know more about the place." he replied, gesturing towards the snow leopardess by his side, who politely greeted the couple.

"We were actually headed there ourselves. Why don't you two come with us?" she offered, and they brightened up and agreed.

"Sounds even more wonderful for two couples to experience it together!" the woman said excitedly as they walked there, making Eli flinch at that particular word.

"Er... we're not really... a couple..." Eli tried to explain with a sheepish grin while Anya laughed nervously.

"Really? We never would have known, but maybe its because you two look so natural together." the jaguar added, making the young man and leopardess blush.

"Well t-thank you, Mr..." Anya began.

"Oh, forgive me for not introducing us earlier. My name is Renato Manchas, and this..." he gestured to the lady with him, "...is my lovely wife, Lily.

Eli and Anya introduced themselves in turn, and felt much more comfortable now that they were more familiar with their newfound friends as they headed towards the entrance to the massive aviary.


End file.
